Pieces of my Soul
by Strawberry-Tina
Summary: Collection of one-shots. "My most addictive drug? Simple. Her smile." Mostly SoulxMaka. Please read and review :3
1. Secret Confessions

**_Hyahoo!!! It's really me! So... this is going to be a collection of one-shots. This is the first one, so you hopefully like it^^_**

**_Please tell me what you think of this! And I'd really appreciate it if you tell me what's wrong with my spelling or grammar because English is not my first language. But I really gave my best to write this^^ I still had some problems even though I'm one of the best in my English class... Don't mean to brag though xDDD_**

**_So, please enjoy! :)_**

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Secret Confessions

She didn't know how she ended up crouching behind the sofa and listening to the boys laughter while they talked complete gibberish and made jokes about their own flaws. It all had started out so innocently when she had decided to do the chores today this morning.

Leaving the apartment so he wouldn't get in the way of Maka's weekly tantrum while cleaning, Soul had decided that it'd be best to hang with the boys since there was no school due to summer break. Wearing only jeans, sneakers and a tee-shirt without his hoody, he strolled down the street to his best friend's apartment to fetch him and then make their way to their other, overall symmetrical and neurotic friend.

While Soul was hanging out with the boys, Maka started her cleaning in the kitchen where she washed up the dishes and cleaned the table and all working/cooking plates before she wandered into the bathroom. Having taken a shower only two hours ago, the shower cubicle was still wet when she entered it again – this time to clean it from the inside.

She was almost finished cleaning – the only thing left to do was to vacuum the living room – when the chain of the necklace she had got from Soul for Christmas last year broke and the wonderfully sparkling pendant in form of a little scythe on top of some piano keys decorated with little diamonds while the necklace itself was pure gold fell onto the floor and skidded under the sofa. She had gotten mad at him when she had opened the box to find such a beauty inside while she had only bought him a new motorcycle for which she had been saving up the whole last year. In return he had gotten mad at her for not accepting his present when she had practically forced him to accept the bike. So they had ended up storming into their seperate rooms, only to come out ten minutes later to apologize and continue their Christmas meal.

She cursed and crouched down to see if she could reach it but there was nothing to see, so she stood up again and moved the furniture a bit to be able to see something. Spotting the jewelry, she crawled behind the couch to reach it. Suddenly a door opened and slammed shut almost the next instant. Maka turned around to see who had entered but the voice calling her name proved her no wrong that Soul came back.

"Black Star has made his entrance!", a booming voice shouted before the sounds of footsteps entered the living room. For a moment it was eerily silent.

"Dude, where has Maka gone to?", Black Star's voice asked before he threw himself onto the sofa, pushing it back in the process.

Maka who found herself being stuck between the wall and the couch and almost suffocating from the pressure on her body tried not to sneeze as some dust filled her nostrils. Feeling the couch rumble and hearing it squeak from the weight, she figured that Soul also sat on the sofa now.

"Maybe she remembered that she needed to buy something important and so went out to get it", a voice that Maka recognized as Kid's supposed and went around the coffee table to sit on the couch on the opposite side.

"Went out without finishin cleaning?", Soul asked and shifted his weight a bit backwards, so he could put his feet on the little table. Maka gritted her teeth as she heard the material of his sneakers meet the glassy surface of the table she had gotten from her mom. Not only did he break his promise – he really had to promise her that he wouldn't put his feet onto the table anymore for which he gave her a roll of his eyes and promptly got a Maka-Chop afterwards – but she had also just cleaned that glass pane.

"Nah, I don't think so", Soul added as an explination to his remark. "What could be more important than cleaning?", he mocked and they all chuckled. Maka felt her blood boil. Oh boy, he was so dead! So being stuck between sofa and wall wasn't that bad after all. She did not only hear how they made jokes about her but she also caught them doing it behind her back.

They laughed, joked, talked and wondered where she could have disappeared to some more until Kid asked, "Say, Soul. Have you told her yet?"

Feeling the atmosphere suddenly getting thicker, Maka wondered who this person they were talking about might be.

"Haven't told her yet", Soul retorted and Maka thought she could hear some sort of disappointment and nervousness through his deep voice.

"Why n-", Kid wanted to ask but Black Star interrupted him, "Who're we talkin' 'bout?"

Kid cleared his throat before answering, "Gee! How often do I have to tell you to not interrupt a conversation you're not part of?"

"I, the godly Black Star, can interrupt whenever I want to! Also, I am always part of all conversations! So, who're you speakin' of?"

"Maka, who else?", Kid's annoyed voice responded before he cleared his throat once again, seemingly turning his attention back to the Death Scythe. "So?", he added as a question. "What are you going to do from now on?"

Groaning, Soul leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. "I dunno", he said after some while. "I really don't know how to tell her."

_Huh? _Not comprehending what they were talking about or how the subject and atmosphere changed so suddenly, Maka tried to get into a more comfortable position.

"Tell her what?" Black Star's voice sounded almost as angry as Maka had felt only mere minutes ago. He really hated to feel left out.

"Tell her that he likes her", Kid answered.

Suddenly the sofa rumbled as Soul snarled, "Idiot! Why did you tell him?!" Sighing afterwards, he leaned back into the cushions. The two other males were quiet and probably staring at him in confusion. An even bigger questionmark whirled around in Maka's head as she desperately tried to understand what Soul was mumbling.

"Gee!", he murmured and sighed again. "I didn't want him to know because he'd just blurt it out whenever possible. Too late now."

"Hyahoo!", was all Black Star shouted before Maka heard a painful slap and a wincing Soul. "Finally! You've got to tell her, man! Before some stupid fucker gets her! So... You really like her? As in... love her?" His voice was slightly mocking.

Maka's ears immediately perked up at the word "love". _Could it be... ?_

Growling, Soul simply said, "Yeah. Got a problem with that?"

Feeling her cheeks burn at the comment of her longtime partner and best friend, Maka shut her eyes closed to blend out their congratulating voices and to pull herself together. So... Soul was in love... with her? She had expected him to confess that he broke the remote control once again but this... Whoa! She really hadn't expected **this!** Feeling her heart thump even harder than before, Maka shifted once again into a more comfortable position. She suddenly stopped moving as she saw a spider crawl past her right hand. Pulling her hand away quickly and squeaking in the process, Maka slapped a hand over her mouth to prevent another shrill noise escaping her throat.

The boys stopped talking immediately when Soul asked, "Did you just hear that?"

Both boys said "no" and so they continued their conversation in which they decided that they wanted to go get a coffee.

Waiting for the door to finally close, Maka jumped from her hiding spot almost the next second and sighed a breath of relief when she saw that they really had left the apartment and she was alone again. Before doing anything else, she grabbed a nearby Swiffer to kill the spider. After that was done, she finished all of her cleaning.

Slouching into her room, she set the necklace and the pendant onto her table, leaving it there so she could repair it later. She jumped onto her bed and smashed her head into her pillow letting out a frustrated groan. After having heard that her partner was in love with her, she couldn't keep her thoughts off of him. Gah! Turning around so she would lay on her back, she grabbed another pillow, pressing it to her chest and staring at the ceiling.

Late afternoon and early evening crept into Death City as Maka continued staring off into the distance while searching and rummaging through her own heart to find her feelings. Yes, of course she liked him. They were partners after all. But did she really like him **that **way? Smiling to herself, she figured that she knew the answer to this question all the time. She jumped up, quickly changed into her pajamas and ran into the bathroom to comb her hair and brush her teeth. After that, she went into the kitchen to start preparing dinner. She grinned to herself while she prepared Soul's favourite meal.

The door opened about two hours later. Maka had already finished her plate and was now finishing up her homework after she had left his share wrapped up so he could warm it up later. As soon as she heard him fall onto the couch and turn on the TV, she left her room to go into the living room. Going to the door frame of the kitchen to stand there, she turned back to him to inform him that she could warm his meal now if he was hungry. He accepted with a loud growl of his stomach befor she giggled and went to do so.

Shoving his feet off the coffee table and putting his plate in front of him, she sat down beside him, eyeing him out of the corner of her eye as he bent down to grab his dish.

"So... you were having fun with Black Star and Kid-kun?", she asked while flashing him a smile. He grimaced and then nodded. His eyes drifted back to the television screen whereas he shoved a piece of his favourite meal into his mouth.

Noticing that she was still staring at him, he turned back to her and eyed her suspiciously, "Is there something else you want to say?"

She blushed and turned her head away. "To be honest... there really is."

Swallowing another bite of his food, he continued staring at her, awaiting a response.

"I was thinking a bit and I... I like you, too!", she said, blurting out the last part and quickly covering her mouth as if she didn't believe that she just said that.

Soul blinked once, twice before sighing and dragging a hand through his messy white hair. "So I wasn't imagining things earlier. I really thought I had to go see a doctor..." Stopping his rant, he showed a small and nervous smile. "You were listening then?"

"Sorry", she mumbled while she kept her head down to hide the blush burning on her face. "Something fell under the sofa and I crawled behind it to reach it", she then explained, carefully looking up at him to see him grimacing.

He leaned back into the cushions. "You probably think I'm really uncool to do such a thing."

"No...", she responded and grabbed his hand with a warm smile. "I think you're really cool. The coolest Death Scythe and partner ever."

Showing a warm smile himself, he slowly leaned in and then softly pressed his lips to hers. Closing her eyes, Maka couldn't feel any happier. Both teens grinned when they pulled away. Looking anywhere but their intertwined fingers, the white haired Death Scythe turned his head to hide the little blush on his cheeks as he simply asked, "What're we gonna do now?"

Maka blinked in surprise. "I dunno really..."

They both sat in silence and listened to the TV in the background and each other's breathing until Soul grinned. He turned his head to look at the petite Meister staring at their hands. She looked up a bit startled at what he said next. But soon a grin replaced the surprised look on her face.

"Wanna cuddle then?"

"Sure!"

And with an even bigger grin she threw herself into his arms while giggling like a happy child.

**Fin.**

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_Thank you for reading this! Hope you enjoyed and hope you review :)_**


	2. Nothing New

**_Hi, it's me again! Here's another update!!_**

**_Had some problems this week, so I couldn't finish it earlier and when I tried to upload it yesterday, it wouldn't work because there was some technical problem... Whatever! Hope you like these because it's the first time I wrote drabbles (though the last one is a bit longer than the rest xDD it's more like a too short one-shot xDD)_**

**_I don't really know what to say now... So I guess just read, enjoy... and maybe review? Please?_ :3_ And don't hesitate to point out any mistakes on my side 'cause it always helps to improve my English (and my writing, of course xDDD)!_**

_Disclaimer: **Soul Eater would be mine... if only I had been better in poker that time (Damn you, Ookubo! Damn you and your wonderful playing!) As you see, it's not mine, so don't complain! I'll just go and cry in that corner over there! *goes to cry***_

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1) The Abyss

And as she stands before the abyss, she finally figures out that there are too many ways to madness but by far not enough out.

2) Black-and-white

"Losing someone close, someone you cherish, someone you care for, someone you love, slowly but surely drains all strength and all colors from you until you're a black-and-white corpse in this ignorant but oh so colorful life."

Her funeral eulogy might have been not the most original one but one that came from the bottom of her broken heart as she watched the coffin bearers take her white-haired and ruby eyed best friend and partner away from her.

3) Enchanting

As he watched her chat with Tsubaki and Crona while casually flashing him sweet, furtive looks, he discovered that the word "enchanting" was nowhere near enough to describe her whole beauty.

4) Ghost

She has never believed in ghosts but now that she's sitting in this dark room, trembling and sobbing, she wishes for him to come back as one to wrap her in his arms and tell her that everything will be okay again.

5) Envelope

"Show me!", Maka demanded and tried to snatch the envelope from her partner's hands which in turn were now held high above his head.

"No", he simply said, turned around and stalked into his room. Stuffing the envelope deep into his drawer, Soul tried to calm himself down. No way in hell Maka could see this! Apparently, writing love letters was so not cool...

6) Soda

One thing poor Maka has learned that day is to never laugh and drink soda at the same time – unless you want it to come back out of your nose.

7) Opposites

No one ever understood how those two could possibly live together and be partners, for they always fought and bickered, but as the saying goes, opposites attract, don't they?

8) Soap bubble

Sometimes Maka felt as if her whole life was like a fragile soap bubble that was so multi-faceted it was almost frightening, and that could burst any minute.

9) Sweet, little puppy

And once again Maka thought to herself that her partner was just as loyal as a sweet, little puppy. Always calling for her attention and never failing to make her feel guilty when he used the puppy eyes move that he – somehow, but that was still beyond her – could use like a pro.

10) Apple

Soul found that it was perfectly fine as long as he could look into her apple green eyes.

11) Star

Though he would never admit it, Soul knew that she was his shining star in the dark as he watched her slumber.

12) Tear

Maka never thought she could be so emotional that she would cry out of joy. But when his crimson eyes opened up after months of being comatose and a tired grin spread across his face, she felt a tear of joy run down her cheek.

13) Grave

Suddenly everything seemed so useless to him while he knelt in front of her grave and his finger carefully traced the engraved name.

14) White rabbit

After another romantic and not so exactly G-rated night, Maka told him that he was just like a white rabbit.

"How so?", he asked and raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"Well", she answered and looked away to hide her blush. "You have white hair, those rabbits have white fur, you have red eyes just like them and you can also hump like one."

15) Naked

Soul had to find out the hard way that Maka looked even better _without _the dress she had worn to that party not two hours ago when he burst into her room to give her the headache tablet she had asked for, and caught her changing. It shall be understood that after this accident he needed one as well.

16) Mirror (Inspired by the movie "Mirrors")

What she didn't notice at first was that she wasn't being ignored. It was just that no one could see her. She soon found out when she spotted the ring Soul had given her after his proposal on her right hand instead of her left.

As she looked around now, she saw that everyone was going past her, looking past her as if she didn't exist. She tried to stop some passengers but found they just walked through her. Walking over to a showcase, she reached out to press her palm to the glass pane, leaving a white handprint on it.

Finally, the fear caught up with her as she pressed both of her hands to the pane and tried to press herself through it.

"Help me!", she cried and felt tears stream down her face.

17) Teddy

"Don't look at me like that", Soul grumbled and glared at the brown stuffed toy, sitting on the couch opposite of him. Looking overall innocent, it seemed like the teddy's eyes started to blaze with reproaches and anger. "I didn't even mean it to come out that way."

18) No more

The sounds and those awful screams wouldn't go away, even when she covered her ears with her hands.

"No more", she sobbed and begged at the same time. "Please, no more!"

Suddenly two warm arms wrapped around her and a voice so familiar she could discern it from all the background noises whispered into her ear that, of course, he was always there, he would always protect her. And she immediately felt better.

19) Valentine's Day

"Here you go!", she screamed while whipping the nicely wrapped present into his face before storming off and locking herself up in her room. "Happy, bloody Valentine's Day, jerk!"

Soul sometimes regretted being such a jerk.

And the last one (a longer drabble): 20) Fragile

Watching her sleep somehow calms him, makes him feel at ease, reassures him that, yes, she is still alive and breathing. It makes his heart swell with happiness, with pride that he hasn't failed her, that he has successfully protected her from the harm which once again has found its way into their path to their future, to forever. He smiles while he watches her fragile form turn in her peaceful slumber, mumbling his name oh so softly and clutching her pillow closer to her chest.

Because it _is _easy to just jump in front of her, taking the hit she wouldn't survive, because it _is _easy – cushy even – to just bleed until there is no tomorrow. It _is _easy to die by protecting her, because that's what his duty as a weapon is. Protecting his meister is his top priority and he will always make sure that at least she comes out safely.

Even if she cries and tells him how reckless he is and even though he's a sucker for tears, he will favor this over seeing her cold and white as snow, lying lifelessly on the ground, dead eyes staring up at him and blood drying on her porcelain like skin. Because he simply cares, because his heart belongs to her and her alone, because he loves her. It's as simple as that but there's still this lingering feeling in his stomach and this unbearable fear in the back of his mind. He tries to push this thought away and decides that he will do anything for her. After all, it's easy to just close your eyes and fall asleep, perfectly knowing they will never open again.

But it would be hard living alone and knowing that he could have been the one to save her. Scratch that, it would be impossible to live in such guilt and pain. Because he can't – and certainly won't – live a single day without her.

Absentmindedly his fingers trace his faded scar as she turns around yet again. Her eyes flutter open and she softly whispers, "Soul, is that you?"

He nods and tells her to sleep again, tells her that everything is okay, that he is fine. She pouts but still does as told. And he decides once again that he will, for sure, choose her life over his own if it comes down to it.


	3. Everyone's in a bad mood once in a while

_**Here's the third installment of "Pieces of my Soul"! (By the way, did you get the hint? :D Lame, I know xDDD)**_

**_Please, don't be too mad if this is total crap but somehow my inspiration didn't come out as I wanted it to. Suggestions, wishes and reviews are very appreciated! I'll write almost everything (even yaoi/yuri and lemon, though I don't like to write or read things like that. But I can try, just don't expect me to go _that _far with details :D)! So, whatever you wish to read from me, I'll do it!!_**

**_Disclaimer: Soul Eater is still not mine. Sadly... :(_**

**_Please, enjoy!! :3_**

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1) Introduction

Maka Albarn. A young, smart, pig-tailed, female technician. She wears her sandy hair in pigtails and her eyes are of pure emerald. She never shows fear, always wears a determined expression. Short temper when annoyed and user of the famous "Maka Chops".

Soul Eater Evans. A lazy, "cool", runaway weapon. His hair is stark white and spiky, his eyes are bloodred. He always stays cool and keeps his head in every situation, ran away because of his weapon abilities. Loyal to his friends and a fantastict piano player.

Both found each other, both make a dynamic duo. They always stay together on their path to forever. Best friends and loyal partners. Whatever comes into their way will be eliminated. Any questions?

2) Insanity

Insanity always found a way into a person's heart and soul, infecting it with its poisonous multiplicity. Soul knew that all too well. He once himself only barely escaped the tentacles of the most feared thing in their world.

But one thing no other man but him possessed was the pure soul and blooming love of his precious technician. She had been the one to pull him out of its grasp – and when she had been encircled with fear and pain (insanity had oh so many faces), he took her hand and pulled her away from it.

Those two were lucky that they had each other. Maybe even they were the luckiest people on Earth – because they not only protected each other but they also found the perfect lover in the other.

3) Smile

If one would ask Soul Eater Evans what his most addictive drug was, he would only smirk in such a knowing way and simply tell them, "Her smile.", before walking off into the distance where a certain pig-tailed, emerald eyed technician stood and waved.

4) Silence

Sometimes when Maka tried to study or read a book, she wished that Soul would be just quiet for one second, so she could concentrate.

But later on, she felt guilty because the apartment would be too eerily silent when he wasn't around.

5) Under The Rain

Maka was a person who could not stand being ordered around. Everyday she fought back and told everyone to just let her be and let her do her own thing.

One day though, she couldn't keep it all in. When everybody told her what to do on her own birthday, the dam broke and she just ran away.

And as she stood under the rain, she felt her tears mix with the raindrops on her face. She wanted to be alone, yet she wanted someone to come after her, someone who would apologize and ask her to come back. When no one came, she wandered through the streets all by herself.

Never had anyone once listened to her when she said she wanted to be alone. They always came and bugged her. But now that she wanted someone to be with her, they listened to her and stayed away. Maka walked and cried and walked and cried under the rain.

6) Expectations

The pig-tailed, smart bookworm, Maka Albarn, knew what she wanted. She always knew. And she expected everyone to be the same as in her mind.

But as everyone turned away from her and she was alone with her self and soul, she thought that maybe she had expected too much.

7) Hold My Hand

Soul knew his technician was not a weakling. She never showed fear – not even in the midst of a hopeless and already lost battle. She faced everything with a strong, determined look on her face and in her eyes a fire always sparkled. And Soul really knew that she was no weakling - because she had fought the frickin' Kishin all by herself!

Yet one night, when both of them were watching a late night horror movie in cinema and had to walk back in the dark, Maka did something really unexpected.

"Hold my hand, please", she asked of him and looked at him with almost watery eyes. Soul gladly obeyed and so the partners walked to their apartment hand-in-hand.

8) Dinner

Soul might have not been the most amiable gentleman. He rarely remembered any important dates and rarely surprised her with little presents or flowers. But still, Maka couldn't be any happier when he took her out to dinner on her birthday. Because she knew that it was his way of showing he cared.

9) Fairy Tale

One day, Maka found her old fairy tales book while cleaning her room. Sighing and sitting down on her bed, she flipped through the first few pages. She stopped and read some lines in which the prince was described. Blonde hair, blue eyes, even and sparkly white teeth.

That instant, the door flew open and Soul entered, smirking and eyeing her with a smug look on his face. He told her to come play basketball with him and the others.

Maka agreed, quickly put the book aside and went with her own kind of prince. White, spiky hair, crimson eyes, white and sharp teeth.

10) Are You Challenging Me?

"Hey, Maka. I bet I'm better in eating ten sandwiches in five minutes than you."

Maka didn't even look up from her book. "Ew, Soul. That's gross."

Said boy huffed and leaned back into the cushions of their couch. Zapping through some TV programs, he thought about another challenge. "Hey Maka", he tried again. "I bet I'm better in..." He paused and looked around, hoping to find a clue on what challenge he should offer. Suddeny he caught sight of her book. "I bet I'm better in reading more books in half an hour than you."

Maka immediately looked up and raised one of her perfect eyebrows. "Are you challenging me?"


	4. Amusing Asylum

**Waaaaaaah, I'm soooooo sorry for the late update. And to make up for it here's one super long one-shot!! *drum roll* Ta ta ta daaaa!**

**This one-shot took me 4 days to write because I was not only writing at my story _"Broken Souls"_ but I also got some serious writersblock down the middle of it... That's why it has such a crappy ending. Please bear with me!**

**It was really hard to not use their names until the New York thingie came... And I don't really know if there is such a statistic Soul is talking about. I made that up obviously :D Also, right now, I'm really confused. 'Cause psychiatrist and psychotherapist and whatever there is really confused. I spent hours researching only! I hope I chose the right one now...**

**To _"Broken Souls": _It's a multi-chapter story I'm writing on. But school is coming up now and I only have the prologue finished. I'm working on the first chapter now but because of the fact that I want to be one chapter ahead, I'll update the prologue when the second chapter is finished also. 'Cause, you know, I usually write in German (because it's easier for me that way) and then I have to translate it into English. That's what holding me back with _"Broken Souls". _But you can expect some one-shots from me the next time (hopefully...)**

**Do you know what's special about this story? I've written in English complete! Without German! Isn't that just wonderful? And do you know what else is special about this piece of work? Well, I don't know anything anymore but I hoped you still had something...**

**Disclaimer: I only own the idea that came out of my brain... which is by the way jumping out of the window this very moment. So, hope you enjoy while I try to catch my brain! *jumps out the window* Waaaaaaaait! Brainy~**

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_**Amusing Asylum**_

She clamped her hands over her ears. Still, she could hear the loud voices in her head. Arguing, fighting, screaming at each other to shut up and listen and then more screaming, louder and more aggressive than before. She didn't understand what had happened. She just didn't understand.

It couldn't have been the dinner because her mother cooked the best and everything was peaceful at dinner. Was it because of her? Something she said? Or even something she did? But no, she had been a good girl at dinner and after that and of course all that time before. Why were they arguing then? They loved each other, right?

She heard a shattering sound. A vase had been broken. Did they throw things at each other? Why wouldn't they stop and love each other again? And her mommy had even promised to come and read a good-night story to her. Where was her mommy? And where was the peaceful voice of her mommy whenever she read a good-night story? She didn't know the feminine, shrill voice that sounded so much angrier now and that yelled how it was all his fault and how he could go to hell. But she knew it had to be her mommy's. What had happened? She just didn't understand.

She was twelve years old already, she loved books and she was smart and clever and the best in her class but she just couldn't understand what had happened to make her parents so angry about each other. Again, she wondered if it was because of her. But what could she have possibly done wrong to get her parents worked up to fight this loudly?

She had enough. She didn't want to hear the voices anymore. She only wanted them to live in peace and love. Was this God's punishment for her? But she had been a good girl! Why was God punishing her? It was told that God loved all people the same. Why did he punish some then? She couldn't understand, again.

Suddenly the voices got even louder and more hysterical and then – unexpected – the front door slammed shut. It was eerily silent after that. Until she could hear her mommy crying and sobbing quietly in the living room. And she soon joined in, lying in her bed with her hands clamped over her ears and her whole body covered by her blanket and shaking like a leaf.

This night, the only twelve-year-old girl vowed to never trust any man in her life. Because men just broke your heart and left you alone to pick up the pieces after they'd crushed you to nothing.

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The next moring at their breakfast table, they pretended as if nothing had happened. But she knew better than that. Oh, how she knew. They couldn't know, however, that she knew because they thought they had made sure she was asleep before ripping each other's head off. They forgot to double-check. And she had heard _everything_.

She felt the calm before the storm and wondered just how long it would take them to work up the courage to tell her what had happened and how it was going to be from then. She already knew. Because she had heard how they had threatened each other with divorce. Even though she wished she hadn't.

But the talk never came. Not that day and not the following one. Not even in that week. Not the week following. But she knew it would come. So she sat back, waited and became hard and prepared for everything.

Three months they could hold their little play until the dam broke. She was still twelve when they divorced. It was bad enough (even though she was hard _and _prepared) but the fact that her mother wanted to go travel the world and thus wanted to leaver her with her father was so much worse.

She cried for two days, sixteen hours, 58 minutes and 46 seconds exactly before she snapped out of it. She went to the bathroom to wash her red, swollen face with cold water and to check the rest of her appearance. She gathered some things into a bag, slinging it over her shoulder and playing with the idea of running away. Shaking her head at this thought, she just settled for spending the day with her girl friends.

Leaving a note at the fridge, she took her keys and walked out of the apartment, saddened that it now held only two inhabitants instead of three.

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Her best friend opened the door. She had her black hair tied into a high ponytail and was wearing a white summer dress. Her dark blue eyes widened when they met the emerald ones and she immediately knew what the dirty blonde had come for. She needed comfort and that's why the black haired beauty jockeyed her into her room and excused herself for a moment to call up their other friends.

Soon after, the both sisters arrived with a pink haired girl and her best friend in tow. They all discussed the matter and decided to cheer their friend up by going to the new amusement park in town that had only opened recently.

She was really not in the mood to go anywhere but her best friend's home. She was grateful though that they even tried to cheer her up, so she had no other choice but to go.

The amusement park was big and full and colorful and loud and crowded with happy families, happy couples, happy groups of friends or just plain happy people. She was so not in the mood for all of this.

So she used the best chance of all to have her alone time, at least for five minutes, when all of her friends wanted to go into the roller coaster. She said something about not feeling that well and watching from a bench and waiting for them there. They looked at each other suspiciously but let it slide without a comment. Waving with one hand and seeing how her friends went into the line, she made her way over to a lonesome bench.

Oh, how she wished she hadn't gone to her best friend's house and how she wished she could just crawl into her bed and stay there... for the rest of her life. She really couldn't stand all of these happy people around her and all the happy laughter and all this happy shit. Someone took a seat next to her but she neither turned to look nor did she want anybody's company right now. That's why she settled for simply ignoring the person.

"This is an amusement park, if I'm not horribly mistaken, and you're supposed to be amused and happy. Why is it that you look neither happy nor amused?", the person next to her suddenly said. And even though she told herself she wouldn't turn to look at the person only a few seconds ago, she couldn't help but turn anyway.

It was a boy with oddly white hair and ruby red eyes who had spoken. The thing is that what he said was meant to be said with a smile or a grin but this boy here was scowling himself right now.

"In my opinion, a smile wouldn't make you that ugly", he said and grinned now, sharp-looking teeth glittering in the sun. Did she hallucinate or did this guy really look like a... shark? Backing away a bit, she answered, "I don't remember asking for your opinion."

"Aha, so you do have a voice. Wondered if you were dumb." He flashed her another grin. "Why did you lie to your friends to sit here all on your own, anyway?"

"How... how do you know?", she asked furiously. "Are you some sort of stalker?"

"No, I was just walking past with my friends and accidentally heard. Maybe I was a bit curious but that's all. I'm definitely not a stalker." He answered and raised one eyebrow questioningly.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She turned her head away, not really wanting to communicate with this strange and complete stranger (and stalker. It was carved into her brain now, so she wouldn't let go of the idea.).

"I'm waiting for an answer", he replied, not keeping his endearing crimson eyes off of her.

"I don't have to give an answer. I don't know you. You're a stranger. And I really shouldn't be talking to you right now."

She tried to stand up and go away but he softly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back down next to him.

"You'll feel better, I promise." He said, smiling such a heartwarming and sweet smile that she couldn't resist to smile right back. Before finally snapping out of all of it.

"We'll make it easy. I'll ask questions and you answer them, okay? Okay. Let's start with the most easiest task", he began. "What about your name? Do you have a name?"

"Of course I have one. What kind of stupid question is this?", she retorted.

"... Well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to tell me?"

"... No."

He looked surprised. "Why not?"

"Because I still think you are a stalker." Her eyes narrowed into a light glare and her face turned back into a grimace. "And I really don't know why I should tell you."

"Then what am I supposed to call you while talking? You know it would be really unnerving to call you "No Name" all the time." His voice was light and playful. "If you're not going to tell me your name, at least give me a code name or something like that to call you."

"Hm..." She looked around and her eyes fixated on a banner not far away from them. "You'll call me Twister."

"Twister?", he repeated skeptically.

"Yes. It's that roller coaster over there." She said and pointed with her finger to prove it.

"True. And what will my name be?"

She stared at him strangely. "Why don't you decide for yourself?"

"Because you wanted no real names in this conversation, that's why you're going to choose code names." His reasoning was simple and not very convincing, at least to her. But his grin made him look cool and spooky, so she couldn't help but smile again.

"You'll be Soul." She finally said and giggled a bit.

He smirked. "A fitting name for a cool guy like me."

They both laughed before he quickly cleared his throat and asked in mock seriousness, "So, _Twister_, why did you lie to your friends? And why are you so sad?"

"You asked two questions at one time."

"Doesn't matter. I assume your brain is big enough to comprehend both of them quickly."

Without answering, she simply said, "You sound like a psychologist. And that's stupid, _Soul_."

Turning her head away, she looked over to the Haunted House. A shrieking girl and a grinning boy came out of the entrance. The girl was helplessly clinging to the boy's arm which in turn made his grin only wider. Grimacing, she turned to her companion again.

"And you're just avoiding the questions", he said with a serious face. "The truth will set you free. And I can easily tell when someone is lying, so don't even try."

"The truth will set me free, huh? Well, you say the truth will set me free but why is it that every time I tell the truth I get sent to my room?"

He growled. "Super funny. Stick to the subject."

"I've got another one. The only thing standing between me and total happiness is reality." Her grin saddened a bit. "That's true, don't you think so too?"

"You really have some issues here." He answered. "It seems to me that you don't actually feel like talking about your problems."

"Yes, of course I want to talk about my problems! I just don't know where to start..."

He chuckled. "Why not start at the beginning?"

"Very funny." She snarled before calming down again. Looking away, she thought about the whole situation. Why was she even talking to this strange boy? Shaking her head, she asked, "If we can put one man on the moon, why can't we put them all there?"

His eyebrows furrowed as he awaited an explanation for this kind of question.

"I mean... what did he do? I still don't fully understand how it all happened. One second everything is still okay and we're a happy family and the next they're already divorcing ... is it because of me?"

"Ouch. A divorce it is. But it's not your fault, that I am sure of." The corners of his mouth fell sympathetically.

"Why are you so sure of it? Maybe it _is _my fault."

"It's never the child's fault. That's what a statistic says and I'm pretty sure it has to be right if it's already a statistic."

"You're Mr. Know-it-all, you know that?"

"Of course. 'Cause I am Mr. Know-it-all."

She laughed. It was light and playful and sounded like music to his ears.

"You know, you might think you're in the worst situation now but there's a light at the end of every tunnel." He assured her. "Just pray it's not a train", he added with a chuckle. "And don't worry, really. The sun will come out tomorrow... or else it will be really cold."

She shook her head. "You're crazy."

"I'm not crazy. I'm psychotic. There's a difference."

She couldn't help but laugh again. And he couldn't help but grin at her.

Suddenly a loud booming voice called out to him, "There you are! Where have you been? I, the great Black Star, was worried sick, man! What're you doing here?"

"Talking, obviously."

"We're waiting for you!"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." His blue haired friend turned and walked away.

The ruby red eyes seemed to have darkened a bit. "Everyday I think people can't get any stupider. Everyday I'm proven horribly wrong." He said (a bit bitterly, she noted). "And some people really are alive only because it's illegal to kill them."

"They're waiting for you", she said sadly. "It's time to say good-bye then?"

"Yeah..." He stood up, brushed some invisible dust off of his pants and turned to look down at her. "'Twas fun."

"Yes, it was."

An awkward silence stretched out between the two until she cleared her throat quietly. "Will... will I, uh, see you again?"

He stared at her for a minute before shrugging. "I'm not really from here. So I won't be here that long anymore. But I come here every year to spend my holidays, so maybe..."

"I'll be here on my birthday", she quickly said. She hadn't even prepared for it. It was more like a spontaneous idea. A quick answer to cling on. "25th March."

"Cool. I'll see you then. Ah, wait. What about exchanging numbers to stay in touch?"

"Sure." She pulled out her cell phone as he did the same. They quickly exchanged their numbers.

"So", he said. "See you 25th March then. Until then enjoy every minute of life. 'Cause there's plenty of time to be dead, so don't waste your time sitting all alone like before." He smiled. And somehow she found it hard to smile back. He turned away and went three steps before he stopped and turned his head to look at her once more.

"I've got one, too." He said with a grin. "Don't think of yourself as an ugly person, just a beautiful monkey."

"What?! You -!" But he had already turned around again and was now walking away quickly while laughing loudly. After having jumped up from anger, she sat down slowly. And her quiet giggles filled the air.

------

From this moment onwards, she started counting the days to her birthday. The closer it came the more excited she got. Her father couldn't understand what had happened to hype her up that way. He hadn't seen her like this since the divorce. Her friends wondered if she had hit her head. She, in turn, didn't care.

Finally, finally, 25th March came. She jumped out of her bed a tad bit too late (she had overslept, that's the simple reason), showered, dressed up and tied her hair into the usual pigtails. Frowning at them, she pulled them out again and tried on some different hair styles but nothing really suited her in her opinion, so she went for the pigtails again.

Running out of the bathroom, she grabbed her bag and shoved many unnecessary things into it before grabbing her cell phone and reading the text message she had last gotten from him. Over the time they had kept in touch through text messages, e-mails and simply talking on the phone.

_"Meet you at the bench near Twister and the Haunted House. Around 3 pm." _shone at her brightly.

She laughed loudly and sharply before leaving her room.

"Dad, I'm out!", she called after a quick brunch. With that she left the apartment and raced to the amusement park. She arrived at the bench at '3.02 pm'. He was nowhere in sight. She settled for sitting down and waiting. Only two minutes later, her phone vibrated, signaling that a new message had been received.

_"The stupid sucker friend of mine wouldn't leave me alone and now I'm in the middle of nowhere.... help? (There's a meadow though...)"_

She laughed out so loud that people passing by stopped to stare at her quizzically. Thank god, she knew where the meadow was. She grabbed her bag and raced to find him. Ten minutes later, she stopped with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. She was huffing and puffing from all the running but she could already spot him. It wasn't really that hard to miss the stark white hair. He just turned around and spotted her. Smiling slightly, she raised her hand to wave.

He walked over to her and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the crowd. After leaving the crowded places, they both collapsed into a bright green place of grass.

"Hi", he finally offered.

"Hi there, stranger", she affirmed. She spread her arms wide and blinked into the sunrays. It was a peaceful and nice day.

"What have you been up to?", he asked the most uncomplicated question.

"Nothing, really", she replied and smiled at him. They started with smalltalk but soon found themselves in a whole conversation. They talked on and on for hours.

"Maybe this world is another planet's hell..." He said and stared into the sky questioningly. "What do you think?"

"You really sound like a psychiatrist. Is this your dream job?" She laughed at him and he surprisingly laughed back.

"Laugh at me all you want", he then said. "But yes, I'm going to be a psychiatrist. Maybe I meet people as nice as you are."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She laid her head back into the soft green grass and stared into the sky. "I heard it takes a long time to be a psychiatrist."

"Yeah... About four years or so. Might be even longer."

"... Wow." She couldn't imagine how someone could hold on for so long for a _job._ But the sparkle in his eyes told her that he would do anything to get this _job. _"Where will you go to learn?"

"I don't know. Probably it's going to be far away from here because in this area there's no real place to learn something like that."

"Hm..." Even though they couldn't be called real friends yet, she didn't like the idea of him being away too far. "But we'll stay in contact, right?"

He turned his head to look at her strangely before his face melted into a soft smile. "Of course. But I won't be going anywhere the next few years, so don't worry."

She closed her eyes and smiled softly. "Sounds wonderful to me."

------

Who didn't know about their special relationship might have thought that the two became a couple, seeing each other almost on a daily basis. That is until he had to leave to go home. He promised to come back for his holidays, though. And that's what she awaited the whole year.

They grew close and now called each other "best friend" (even though she sometimes wanted them to be more than that) over the years they spent together but still she would refuse to use their real names.

"It's like a game", she said to him one afternoon. "A relationship that is. And it's a game where only one can win when they know everything about the other. They learn more and more about their partner until they know... well, everything. There is nothing new to the other and nothing really interesting that they don't know about already. Eventually, they grow bored and leave their partner to search for a new one, thus break the other's heart. I don't want us to be that way. We simply leave out the names, so no one of us can know truly everything about the other, thus we don't end the way many couples end. This all brings up one condition which is needed to make us work the way we want it to be."

"Which would be?"

"I'll say it simple... Let's not fall in love, okay?"

Even though it had been her to say this, she couldn't help but fall in love with him over the time. At first, she didn't pay attention to it. She simply noticed small things she hadn't noticed before. Like special faces or gestures he made in special situations. Soon after, though, it all crashed down upon her, making her realize just how badly she needed him near her, just how addicted she was.

But she vowed to keep the promise they made that particular night. Because if she told him, she would ruin everything. That's why she kept her feelings locked deep inside of her heart, in a place no one could reach this easily. Not even herself.

------

They were 17, almost 18, when the big departure came. She had known it would come sooner or later but she naturally prefered the "later". The airport was full and crowded and she remembered the day they met back in the amusement park. She had felt the same as now. Sad, lonely, overwhelmed, empty and left alone.

"Don't worry", he said to reassure her. "I'll be back in a flash of light. It'll be so fast that you won't even notice I'm gone. And of course, we'll keep in touch."

"... Yeah." Her throat was dry and itchy. She couldn't recognize her own voice.

A voice from the intercom told them that it was time for him to go now. For four long years.

"I have to go now. Take care of yourself and don't worry." He said it like a mantra. "We'll see each other in four years then. I'll miss you." He kissed her on the cheek, then grabbed his suitcases and went his way.

"I'll miss you, too", she whispered. She stayed at the airport, looking out of the window, until his plane took off. She waved, even though she knew he couldn't see it. And that's the first time she cried since the divorce. She had a nervous breakdown that night.

-------

She had believed too much in his words. Four years were long. Too long. She noticed that he was gone. Oh, how she noticed. His presence was lacking everywhere she went. And everywhere were memories of him anchored. She tried to sleep at night but dreams of him kept waking her up. It was like going cold turkey. Her drug was gone and she noticed. She felt nervous around other people, and alone. She didn't talk often anymore. It was like a vicious circle that pulled her back in whenever she tried to get out.

"I can't stand this any longer!"

She was surprised. No, that comment hadn't come from her but from her black haired, usually quiet best friend. Ouch. Even the term "best friend" reminded her of him.

"When will you stop this?!"

"Stop what?", she quietly retorted, looking away and out of the window to see that big, dark clouds had shoved themselves in front of the sun.

"Stop being so gloomy! Stop being a zombie and start living again!"

"I _am _living if you haven't noticed."

"No, you're not! All you're doing is moping and sighing. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me."

"Don't lie to me!" _The truth will set you free. And I can easily tell when someone is lying, so don't even try._

It kept repeating itself over and over in her head and she couldn't make it stop. She couldn't get his image out of her head, couldn't get his voice out of her ears, couldn't get her heart to stop longing for him, to stop _loving _him! ... it was official now. She _loved _him. Loved him with all her heart and with all her being.

She spent the whole day thinking about how she loved him and how he wasn't there to love her back. The next day she went to see her best friend and she told her everything. Everything from the beginning to the very end.

"If that's the reason for your depression, why don't you fly after him?"

Why hadn't she been so smart herself before? Why had she wasted two and a half years to hear something she could have come up herself from someone else?

------

She packed her things. Today was her birthday. She was 20 now.

"Where do you plan to go?" A voice behind her asked. It was her dad.

"Away", she answered. "Away to find my love."

She already lived in an apartment by herself. How her dad had gotten past the locked door was still a miracle to her. She grabbed her bag and left the room.

At the front door, she turned around to face him. "I'll be back soon. Even though you're a womanizer, I still love you." She kissed him on the cheek. And it reminded her of _him._

"Bye." The word felt strange on the tip of her tongue. She had always been a sucker for farewells but she couldn't turn back now. Not anymore. She was too far gone now, too close to her goal.

------

Her head ached. It was because of the flight. She had problems with planes. But never mind this. It wasn't really important right now. She couldn't keep her mouth closed. Her jaw almost touched the ground. New York was big! Bigger than she had expected! She had known beforehand that New York City was bigger than Death City but... That big?! And she was only in Manhattan! It was only a part of NYC!

How were her chances to find the one she was looking for when she didn't even know his real name? It would take years to find him. And she didn't even know where she'd have to begin her search.

Suddenly a light flickered on in her mind. "Right!", she exclaimed. "The number!" She reached into her bag to pull out her cell phone. No one answered and her heart sank even deeper. Her only luggage was the bag she was carrying around, so she pulled it onto her shoulder and started her journey. She spent the whole day by going into psychiatries and asking if a white haired and crimson eyed psychiatrist worked there. She had no luck. One even asked her if she _needed _one. Stupid asshole.

The sun was already setting when she wandered into an amusement park to search him there. But the park was big and full of people and she had no more energy. So she sat down at a bench and hid her face in her hands. She felt a presence next to her but didn't bother to look up. Probably only a park visitor who needed a rest.

"This is an amusement park, if I'm not horribly mistaken, and you're supposed to be amused and happy. Why is it that you look neither happy nor amused?", the person next to her suddenly said. Her head shot up. It couldn't be -!

Unbelievable. Right next to her sat her best friend with his unkempt white hair and his endearing crimson eyes, grinning at her, his eyes sparkling in the process.

"Soul!", she gasped. "You're here!"

"What a coincidence, right?" His grin brightened up.

"That's no coincidence! That's fate, I say!" Her cheeks burned from joy.

"Be glad that I _am _here to find you. You don't know what kind of maniacs run along those streets at night." He stood up. "Let's better not talk in a place where you can't even hear your own thoughts. My apartment is close-by." He started to walk, she – however – was rooted firmly on her spot on the bench. He turned around when he noticed that she hadn't moved in the slightest. "You're allowed to follow me."

She suddenly jumped up, ran over to him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. He stiffened at first but soon melted against her. His arms found their way around her body, pulling her even closer to him.

"We haven't seen each other in years! And that's all I get as a greeting? _You don't know what kind of maniacs run along those streets at night._" She mockingly imitated his voice. Which was now even a tad bit deeper than before. His hair was a bit longer, too, she noticed. His skin was tanner and his body leaner and taller. His shoulders were broad and through the tee shirt she could feel his muscles.

"Hi", he finally said and she couldn't help but laugh out loudly.

------

It was a twenty-minute-walk from the amusement park to his apartment. It was a common skyscraper. His apartment was on the 53rd floor.

"Wow! That's where you live?", she whispered breathlessly. "Amazing!"

"Yeah, no, it's not really _that _amazing." He turned the key in the keyhole. The door opened. "The view is splendid, though."

The apartment was twice as big in size as hers. It was furnished very modern but also very homely. The wall opposite of the door was a big, fat window. She was practically glued to the glass. "How pretty! Look at all those colors of the town!"

A noise in the kitchen caught their attention. Was someone here? A burglar? Or maybe his girlfriend? Her breath hitched in her throat. Did he have a girlfriend? What was he doing? How was he doing? What about his family? She didn't know anything about him, she finally realized. He had changed in appearance as well as in character, she figured. Who exactly was this person coming out of the kitchen with a kitten in his arms?

"Hey, how did you get in here?", he asked as he stroked the kitten's fur. "Little picklock."

Her muscles relaxed visibly. She sank down into the cushions of the couch. "Are... are you going to keep him?", she breathlessly asked. What was wrong with her? Why was she thinking such nonsense?

"I don't know. If yes, I'll name him _Little Picklock_", he answered and grinned as he sat the kitten down next to her before taking a seat himself.

"That's an awful name", she said and smiled.

The kitten hissed at her (it seemed like it was not happy with her). He immediately gathered it into his arms again, stroking its fur carefully. "Ah... See? You upset Little Picklock. It's a beautiful name by the way. What do you know?"

He meant it as a joke of course but somehow she gasped, and the corners of her mouth fell. Crimson eyes looked up and widened when they saw her expression. He put the kitten aside, scooting closer to her.

"Hey, what's wrong?", he asked soothingly, touching her arm carefully as if wanting to calm her like he had calmed the kitten only seconds ago. "I didn't mean it like that. I know that you're smart and clever. Hey, really, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

She wiped at her eyes hastily, laughing brokenly. "It's not your fault... It's just--"

She couldn't finish her sentence. Loud sobs broke out of her and even more tears ran down her cheeks, wetting the carpet in the process. Her mind was racing, her breath shallow and her face firmly pressed into her hands to hide from him. What was wrong with her? Shouldn't she be happy to see him again? Without a girlfriend? And alive?

"Why don't I know anything about you?!", she cried out and hid her face once again in her hands. "Friends know each other inside out! I don't know anything!"

His arms wrapped around her in an instant, pulling her close to him. Her head collided with his shoulder, and her hands grabbed his tee shirt so hard, he felt her nails digging into his skin.

"My name is Solomon Evans", he quietly whispered to her. "But since the day in the amusement park my friends all call me Soul or Soul Eater. I am 21 years old and a pyschiatrist-in-training. My family lives in a rich place in California. They are snobby people and I don't really like them because they always compared me to my brother, Wesley, who was better in everything. My best buddies are Black Star and Death the Kid. My favourite ice cream flavour is chocolate. I'm sometimes really lazy. I like drinking soda, watching TV, working as a psychiatrist, hanging out with the boys and eating. My hair somehow always keeps his form and some people are even scared because of my appearance. Black Star's ego is too big and I'm often annoyed because of him, Kid's got an OCD with symmetry which annoys me, too. I, myself, have an abnormal fear of losing close people. And the most important fact about my life is that you are my bestest friend ever."

She was speechless, to say the least. He had just summed up his whole life in only five minutes. Only for her. Only to cheer her up.

"I guess there are some more things about me but you need to find them out by yourself", he added with a smile, locking his eyes with hers.

She wiped her eyes one last time. "Thank you, Soul."

"No problem.... Maka."

Her head shot up. "How... how do you know my name?"

"Your dad called this afternoon. He was hysterical and screaming at me 'for taking away his precious Maka'." Soul chuckled. "Guess he's a bit too overprotective, right?"

"Oh god... That's so embarrassing!" She quickly pressed her face into his shoulder again. "God, I'm going to kill him when I get home!"

"Awwww, already planning on going home?" Maka looked up. Soul had a playful pout on his face. "Won't you stay with me for a while?"

"Gladly", she whispered before she kissed him on the cheek.

---------

Soul Eater Evans slammed his head onto the countertop next to the washbasin. She was too innocent for her own damned good! How was he supposed to restrict himself when she practically threw herself at him?!

His reflection in the mirror growled at him and he turned around, not wanting to stare into his blood red eyes anymore and kicking a bin aggressively. The sound echoed off the walls.

"Is everything okay in there?", Maka called from the living room worriedly.

Sticking his head out the door, he grinned at her and assured her, "Everything is fine. I'll be back in a minute."

Maka nodded slowly, biting her lip anxiously. What was Soul doing in there for so long? Was he using hair gel after all? Right in this moment, the bathroom door opened and Soul re-entered the living room. He stopped next to the coffee table, not moving any further.

He _couldn't_ go any further! She had to look at herself! Seriously! Her cheeks were still red, her eyes a bit puffy, she was biting on her full lips, looking up at him with glittering eyes. She had really grown into a beautiful young woman. How the hell was he supposed to restrain himself? Holding himself back and not acting upon his desires was bad enough (really, it cost him everything to not just jump her right now), her looking that cute on top of it all only made it worse! He was about to go insane!

"Soul?", she asked. "Is something wrong?"

_You are! _"No", he choked out. "Nothing is wrong."

"Then do sit down!" She patted the empty place next to her.

He was about to say, _"I'd rather stand here", _but her pleading look made it impossible for him to not follow her wish. Scooting to the farthest armrest of the sofa, he looked at her, smiling a bit to reassure her.

"Sooo...", he started.

"Sooo...", she echoed.

"What are we going to do now?"

"I dunno, really..." She shyly smiled at him. _! ! Why can't I just kiss you?!_ She shook her head to stop those insane thoughts. Giggling nervously, she looked around the room, thank god missing the face Soul made that very moment.

He averted his gaze anywhere but her. Even though, he really tried to glue his eyes to the view outside his bad-ass window, he couldn't stop his eyes from flickering back to her. And all he wanted to do is touch the silky, dirty blonde hair and kiss those full, rosé-colored and very inviting lips of hers. He didn't even know how he had had the strength to survive all of these years... Shaking his head, he put his elbows on his knees, so he could grab a fistful of his hair, pulling at it to stop himself from thinking certain things involving himself, Maka and a bed...

"Are you sure you're okay?" Her voice sounded worried and he didn't even look up, in fear of losing control by seeing her forest green eyes. "Soul, please, if something is wrong, don't hesitate to tell me..."

"Right now, I'd rather not talk about me..." He sounded like he was about to vomit onto the clean carpet. _'Cause right now I'm about to die from craving..._

_C'mon! You can do it! Just open your mouth and say: "Soul, there is something I have to tell you... - dramatic pause involved - I love you. Have loved you since the beginning. Do you love me, too?" Argh! Why can't I just say it?! _She was going mad! Where was this stupid night going to end when she couldn't even open her stupid mouth?!

"What...", he began but choked on his words again. "What have you been up to?"

The simple question surprised her somehow. "Eh, well..." What could she possibly say without embarrassing herself even farther? "Nothing, really", she answered, smiling shyly at him. "What about you?"

_Ah, the usual, you know. I'm head over heels in love with you and I think I'm going to explode_ _when I don't tell you soon!_ "The usual, you know..."

Awkard silence stretched out between them, almost driving both of them insane. The clock ticked so unbelievably loud and she was being so extremely quiet that he thought he'd snap any second.

"I missed you", she said. Her voice was thick with sorrow and dripping from longing. She opened her mouth once again but no words came out. _What? Where's the rest? C'mon, Maka, you can do it!_

"Soul, I--"

"TO HELL WITH IT ALL!", Soul suddenly cried out, cutting her off in the process. Standing up and falling to his knees almost immediately, he mumbled something incohorent before screaming again.

Maka's eyes widened. What the hell was wrong? Did she do something? Carefully, as not to disturb him any further, she touched his shoulder. "Soul, shh, what's wrong? Soul, the neighbours... Soul, what's wr-EEEEEEK!"

The cause for Maka's misshapen sentence was Soul practically pinning her to the couch and hovering above her. In spite of his conniption, his eyes were soft and endearing.

"Makaaaaa...", he murmured while touching her cheek with one hand. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss onto the place where her carotid was, making her squeek again. "I can't take it any longer." He kissed her cheek. "Or I will explode." He kissed her eye and then her nose. Looking into her eyes directly now, he finally said, "I love you." And before she could even respond, he pressed his lips to hers, taking in the soft flavour of her lip gloss.

Breaking apart for air, Maka opened her mouth to respond, "Soul--"

She was cut off by his lips and after struggling for a while, she finally melted into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to her.

"I... love... you... too", she answered in-between their kisses, pressing her body closer to his.

Suddenly her cell phone rang. Stopping and groaning, Soul bent down to reach her bag. Fumbling with it a minute or so, he pulled out her cell, looking at the display and mumbling "your dad" almost deadly before chucking it at the nearby wall and throwing the bag back to the ground.

"Soul!", she protested. "My cell phone! And my bag! How could you--"

She was once again silenced by his lips. And to spare you from a lifetime trauma, long story short: It was a wonderful night, yup, that you can be sure of.

-------

"A healthy soul resides within a healthy mind and a healthy body."

"So, a soul is not the same thing as a mind?"

"Of course not!"

"What's the difference then?"

"Your mind can be tricked, your soul cannot. And by the way it's soulmate and not mindmate..."

"With you it's like living in an asylum."

"An amusing asylum, may I say."

"True... God, come here! I have to kiss you again, my wonderful psychiatrist!"

"As you wish, my soulmate."

* * *

**I can't believe it got _that _long! *faints* When there are any mistakes or such, please tell me! And please review! =)**


	5. Useless Therapy?

**Heyyyyy, here it is. To be honest, I got this idea right after "Amusing Asylum" but school came up and I had to shorten my time for writing because of homework. (God, I hate it! Who the heck invented it?! I'll go back in time and kill that person!!!)**

**Because of the already stated above reason, I think this one-shot came out really crappy. But it's a strange situation here. One moment I like it, the next I think it's awful. Please tell me what you think and when you spot any mistakes, please tell me, too. Hope you enjoy now!! :)**

**Expect more one-shots from me the next time. My idea tree has been growing very well lately. I should stop watering it ___ Ahahahaha, whateveeeer~ (Soul!!)**

**

* * *

**

**

* * *

**

**Useless Therapy?**

Kid // _Liz_ // **_Patti_** // Black Star // **Tsubaki **(This will make sense... in about a minute. xDDD Don't you worry!)

* * *

**Day 1 **

Dr. Psychologist: My name is Dr. Psychologist. I will be your therapist for the next 7 days. You are Maka and Soul, right?

Soul: Why the heck are we here?!

Maka: Soul, that's rude, even for your standards! *turning to Dr. Psychologist*Yes, we are Maka and Soul, Dr. Psychologist.

Dr. Psycho: You can call me Dr. Psycho for short.

Soul: A very fitting name...

Maka: Soul!

Dr. Psycho: That's okay, Maka. Well, please, let's just start with the therapy... Okay, do you know why you are here?

Soul: Obviously not. You would know if you've listened to me before.

Maka: Soul, can you stop this?

Dr. Psycho: Well, now I know. Thank you very much, Soul.

Soul: No problem, Dr. _Psycho._

------

(Soul is sometimes as dumb as Black Star...)

(I totally agree... Wait a minute... HEY!)

(See what I'm talking about?)

(**Liz, do you really think this was a good idea?**)

(_Of course, Tsubaki! It'll work! You'll see!_)

(**If you say so, Liz...**)

(**_GIRAFFE! GIRAFFE! Oi, Nee-chan, where's my crayon?_**)

-----

Dr. Psycho: So, let's start easily. Soul, don't look at me like that. I won't bite, I promise.

Soul: That may be... but why's there a camera?

Dr. Psycho: Huh? Oh, well, you know... All therapists do... do that during their therapy sessions to... to watch it again at the end. For summary, you know.

-----

(_Puuuh, nice way to cover up, Doc...)_

(I don't get it. Why do we watch their therapy session?)

_(To see how it goes, of course.)_

(But where's the privacy?)

_(Kid, just... shut up!)_

-----

Maka: Really? Oh, that is...

Soul: ... stupid.

Maka: MAKA-CHOP! *slams her book down on his head* It's enough now!

Dr. Psycho: *backing away a bit* M-Maka, p-please put down that book...

Soul: *is temporarily dead*

Dr. Psycho: Let's just start, OKAY?

Maka: Oh... kay...

Dr. Psycho: Please excuse me. Where was I? Ah, right, so first of all I will ask some questions and you answer them with the truth and only the truth, okay?

Soul: THAT WAS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY! AND IT HURTS LIKE HELL!

Maka: I thought you were dead?

Soul: Well, now I'm alive again. Got a problem with that?

Maka: Actually, yes!

Soul: What?!

Maka: Don't you dare yell at me!!

Soul: WHAT?!

Maka: Are you deaf or something?! I SAID DON'T YOU DARE YELL AT ME!!

Soul: Says the one screaming at me like a banshee.

Dr. Psycho: Uh, guys? Hey, guys...

Maka: What you--?! You want pain or something?

Soul: Look, who's --- GOD, WOMAN! STAY AWAY FROM ME WITH THAT BOOK!!

Dr. Psycho: YOU KNOW WHAT?!

Soul and Maka: WHAT?!

Dr. Psycho: *taking a deep breath* This won't do. Let's just stop here. You two go home and rest. Just come back here tomorrow when you've calmed down, okay?

-----

(_*face-palms*_)

(**They are totally useless...**)

(H-have you seen t-that room? It's totally... A-ASYMMETRICAL! AND I CAN'T FIX IT! I'M TRASH! I'M A PIG! I CAN'T--- BLACK STAR! DON'T TOUCH ME!!!)

(**_GAY SMEX, YAY!!_**)

(_W-what the fuck... are they doing?_)

(**I have absolutely no idea... *blushes and looks away***)

* * *

**Day 2**

Dr. Psycho: So, you're back?

Soul: *is beaten up on the couch*

Dr. Psycho: What happened with him?

Maka: He didn't want to come voluntarily. I warned him. But he always **has** to push my buttons!

Dr. Psycho: *fumbling with her tie fearfully* Eh... Let's just start, I guess. So, where are the notes I was given? *searching in her things* Ah, there they are. Good, Maka, Soul is out on the couch, so you will answer the questions. Is that okay?

Maka: Yes.

Dr. Psycho: Good, I will start now. Are you ready?

Maka: Yes, I'm ready.

Dr. Psycho: Are you sure you are ready?

Maka: Yes, I am sure that I'm ready.

Dr. Psycho: Are you sure you're sure you're ready?

Maka: *stares at Dr. Psycho strangely* Yes, I'm sure that I'm sure that I'm ready.

Dr. Psycho: Are you sure you're sure you're su---

Maka: JUST ASK THE STUPID QUESTION!

Dr. Psycho: *backs away* ... Remind me to treat your aggressive behaviour after we've finished your partner therapy.

Maka: *groans* Can you just ask now, please?

Dr. Psycho: Okaaaaaaay.... *looks through her notes* When was the last time you two had... *looking up* ...sex?

Maka: ... excuse me?

Dr. Psycho: You know... Make love, boink, hump, fuck, sleep with someone, booty, nooky, make it, sexual inter--

Maka: I know what sex is!

Soul: *suddenly awake again* ... since when?

Maka: Wha--? *turning a dark shade of red* I thought you were unconscious...

Soul: So you could talk with our therapist all by yourself... about sex?

Dr. Psycho: Could you just answer the question?

Maka: I-I... I won't answer it!

Dr. Psycho: Why not?

Soul: Yeah, Maka, why not? *raising his eyebrows playfully*

Maka: B-because... because we ARE NOT a couple!

Dr. Psycho: You're not?

Maka: NO! WE'RE NOT IN A RELATIONSHIP! IT'S A PARTNERSHIP! PARTNERSHIP! *taking a deep breath* That's why we're called PARTNERS!

Dr. Psycho: What? Really?

Maka: Yes, REALLY!

Dr. Psycho: *looks through her notes again* Ohhhh~ I've got the wrong notes, that's why... Hehehe, my mistake then... Sorry.

Maka: ... I'm about to fall into unconsciousness...

Soul: Our therapist is really a psycho...

Dr. Psycho: So, now, here are the right notes! Okay, let's start, shall we? First question: Favourite color?

Maka: *calming down* Uh, red, I guess.

Soul: *sneaking a quick glance at Maka* ... Green.

-----

(_Awwww, aren't they just sweet?_)

(**Liz, I finally start to understand what you were thinking in the first place... *holds her hand to her chest and sighs dreamily***)

(_Right, Tsubaki! That was my vision! So they will hopefully get together and stop arguing!_)

(What is Liz talking about?)

(You just don't get it, do you?)

(_**HYAHAHAHA! KIDDO, LOOK AT THIS! IT'S A HIPPO!**)_

(Huh? Yeah, that's very beautifffff-- P-P-PATTIIIIIII!! IT'S NOT SYMMETRICAL!! GIVE ME THAT!!)

(_**NOOOO, KIDDOOOO!**)_

(_Shh, Kid, Patti! I'm trying to listen!_)

-----

Dr. Psycho: Your most favourite hobby?

Maka: Reading.

Soul: Watching TV.

Dr. Psycho: Hmm, another hobby?

Maka: Cooking.

Soul: Eating.

Dr. Psycho: Favourite meal?

Maka: Self-made cooking.

Soul: Souls.

Dr. Psycho: Names of your best friends?

Maka: Tsubaki, Liz, Patti.

Soul: Black Star, Kid.

Dr. Psycho: Favourite type of music?

Maka: Hm... Pop?

Dr. Psycho: What about you, Soul?

Soul: I hate Pop. Jazz. Definitely Jazz.

Maka: But not that crappy Jazz, right? *smiling at him*

Soul: *smirking* Right, not the crappy Jazz.

Dr. Psycho: *writing down some things* Uh, okay... How would you describe yourself? With one word only.

Maka: Uh, ehm, smart, I guess...

Soul: Cool.

Dr Psycho: A fast answer, Soul... *scribbling on the paper* How would you describe your partner?

Maka: He's a jerk.

Soul: Flat as a board.

Maka: MAKA-CHOP!

Soul: *holding his bump* ... and let me add VIOLENT.

Maka: WHAT?!

Dr. Psycho: *cowering behind the couch* P-Please calm down... and PLEASE DON'T destroy my psychologist's room! *sitting down again after a while* W-well, let's analyze the results...

Soul: Aaaaand?

Maka: What's the conclusion?

Dr. Psycho: The conclusion is... that you two have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in common!

Maka: ... what?

Dr. Psycho: D-don't worry... I... have one last question for you... But if you get this one wrong, I don't know what---

Soul: What kind of question?

Dr. Psycho: *falls silent*

Maka: Dr. Psycho?

Dr. Psycho: *folds her hands in front of her face*

Soul: Earth to therapist, Earth to therapist!

Dr. Psycho: What... *involves a dramatic pause* ... is the name of your partner?

Soul: Uh, Maka.

Maka: Souuul. But I don't understand what the relevance of this--

Dr. Psycho: BONUS POINTS! THAT'S THE RIGHT ANSWER! YAHOO!!

-----

(I get the feeling that this therapist needs a therapist herself...)

(HEY! Only I am allowed to use the godly "YAHOO!"!)

(_Ahhhh, this is a mess!_)

(**...**)

(_**IT'S THE ALMIGHTY HIPPO!**)_

(PATTI! IT'S STILL ASYMMETRICAL!!)

(_QUIET!_)

(...)

(_**Sowwy, Nee-chan!**)_

**

* * *

**

**Day 3**

Dr. Psycho: Hello, Soul. Hello, Ma--

Maka: HEY, PSYCHO! WHAT'S UP? WHAZZUP? WHASSUP~  
Soul: She's drunk.

Dr. Psycho: *stares at him in disbelief* Why is she drunk?

Soul: I found her like this... She had the wine bottle in her hand and mumbled "getting myself Dutch courage" or something like that...

Dr. Psycho: That's .... awful.

Soul: Thank God, there was only one bottle on the table. I've locked the rest into the cupboard.

Dr. Psycho: You've locked the alcohol up?

Soul: Yes. There has been an incident with Black Star... *shudders*

Dr. Psycho: What happened?

Soul: It was Christmas. We left the wine bottle on the table and suddenly the door bell rang. It was Black Star. Then it... it all happened so fast! One second he was right next to me and the next he already drank the whole bottle! You don't want to imagine what happened afterwards.  
Dr. Psycho: I think you're right.

Soul: Thank God, Maka is one who becomes eerily quiet when drunk. Not like Black Star...

-----

(**I don't remember this Christmas. Where was I?**)

(Ehm...)

(_Maka is DRUNK?! KID!_)

(What?)

(_*grabs him by the collar* Do you know what that means?_)

(Eh, no?)

(_He could have done anything to her! ANYTHING!_)_  
_  
(What are you implying?)

(_You're so dumb! *drops him to the ground* Tsubaki!_)

(**H-hai?**)

(_At least you know what I mean, right?_)

(**Huh?**)

(_GAAAAAAH!_)

(_**Hahahaha! Nee-chan has a nervous breakdown!**)  
_

-----

Dr. Psycho: This session today is absolutely useless then...

Maka: Yup, yup... *bobbing her head up and down like an idiot*

Soul: Oh God... It feels like an asylum...

Maka: Souuuuuuuuul? *turns to him* Ya know whaaaaat?

Soul: Eh... what?

Maka: I... I LOVE YOU!!! *jumps him*

Soul: GAAAAAH! HELP MEEEEEE!!! THAT'S CALLED SEXUAL HARASSMENT!! STAY AWAY FROM ME!!

Maka: Hyahahahaha! Maka loves Soul!!!

Dr. Psycho: Oh. My. GOD! *looking away*

-----

(_Oh. My. GOD!_)

(**That's exactly my opinion...**)

(I am shocked...)

(_**KISSU!! WHERE'S THE KISSU???**)_

(HYAHAHAHAHA! I KNEW IT! THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SEX IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA!!!)

(**B-Black Star!**)_  
_

**

* * *

**

**Day 4**

Maka: My head aches.

Soul: N-no wonder...

Dr. Psycho: Today we are going to try out something different.

Maka: *holding her head* Something different? And what would that be?

Dr. Psycho: You'll find out... Did you two argue yesterday?

Soul: Yes, of course. Maka was sober, though... after... you know what, Doc.

Maka: Huh? What are you talking about? What does she know?

Soul: Nothing! Eh... I mean... uh, nothing.

Maka: *eyes him suspiciously*

Dr. Psycho: I'd call it an improvement in your relation--- eh, I mean partnership. But please stick to the subject, guys. Hm, what did you argue about?

Soul: She said... I'm lazy.

Maka: *snaps her head back to Dr. Psycho* Yes! And that's true! He never does his chores! I always have to do them for him!

Dr. Psycho: Fantastic! That's fantastic!! PERFECT!!!

Maka: Perfect?!

Soul: Not that it's not true but... Perfect?!

Dr. Psycho: Yes! We finally have stuff we can work on!!

Maka: Eh, okay?

Dr. Psycho: It's far better than okay!! Okay, soooo... *taking her notes and scribbling on the paper*Good, Soul, I would like you to help more with the chores. It's simple, really. The more chores you do, the more friendly words you get from Maka. Also, the less hits you get.

Soul: Sounds logical to me...

Dr. Psycho: And Maka, I want you to appreciate his efforts and use friendly words instead of your book more often. How about you try it out today and report to me tomorrow?

Soul and Maka: Okay...

----

(Do you think it will work?)

(_I've been told she's the best, so I'm sure it works. Hopefully._)

**

* * *

**

**Day 5**

Dr. Psycho: Good afternoon. Nice to see you're still alive, Soul. You look good, Maka.

Maka: Thank you, Dr. Psycho.

Soul: Whatever, Doc.

Dr. Psycho: Today's already the fifth day. We have only two days left. We should get to work finally. So, did you two have a nice day yesterday?

Maka: You could say so...

Dr. Psycho: Tell me.

Maka: We---

Soul: Wait! I will... tell her.

Maka: ... do as you please.

Soul: Thanks... So, after we arrived home, I decided to follow your advice, Doc.

Dr. Psycho: You did?

Soul: Yes. I decided to iron the laundry.

Dr. Psycho: That's wonderful, Soul.

Soul: Heh, I know, I know. But that's not all.

Dr. Psycho: It's not?

Soul: No. I ironed the laundry and suddenly I heard Maka yell. Very loudly.

Dr. Psycho: Oh, my. What happened?

Soul: She saw a...

Dr. Psycho: A what? A burglar?

Soul: No. She saw a spider.

Dr. Psycho: A spider?

Soul: Yes, a tiny, tiny spider.

Maka: That's not true! Have you seen that spider? It was bigger than my whole hand!

Soul: Yes, Maka, to remind you, I have seen **that **spider. *turning back to Dr. Psycho* Then she jumped on me and yelled at me to kill the spider! Buuuut that's not even the worst part!

Dr. Psycho: It isn't?

Soul: No. She had a knife in her hand. And not just a kitchen knife. It was a butcher's knife!

Dr. Psycho: A butcher's knife? Why did she have a butcher's knife?

Soul: She tried to kill the spider with it.

Maka: That's not true!

Soul: But that's what you did! And you know what? The knife was _sooo close_ to my throat. *indicates with his fingers just how close it was* I assure you, Doc, it was the HORROR!

Maka: Don't exaggerate!

Soul: Easy for you to say. Your life didn't pass you by that very moment!

Maka: Psh, don't cry over it. Wimp.

Soul: What didya call me?

Maka: I said W-I-M-P. Wimp.

Dr. Psycho: Now, now, we don't want to argue anymore, right? ... RIGHT?

Maka and Soul: Right....

-----

(There's only two days left. And it doesn't look like it's helping any.)

(_You need to believe in them, Kid! You have to trust!_)

(**That's right, Kid-kun. It's them. There's nothing they can't handle.**)

(Except each other.)

(**Black Star! That's.... true. Sadly.**)

(_**Why don't we just bump their heads and lips together? Wouldn't that make it easier, Nee-chan?**)_

(_Patti, that's not... Wait, that's brilliant!_)

-----

Dr. Psycho: Okay, let's continue... *hears her cell phone ring* Oh, please excuse me. *goes to another room to talk*

Maka: ...

Soul: ...

Maka: ...

Soul: You...

Maka: I?

Soul: You really don't remember anything?

Maka: ... no. W-why? Did something... you know, happen... between... us?

Soul: Huh? Oh, no, nothing... happened.

Maka: Ah...

Soul: Yeah...

Dr. Psycho: I'm back. Sorry, it was an important call.

Maka: It's... okay.

Dr. Psycho: Did something happen? You look... well, down, to say the least.

Maka: What? Uh, no, no.

Dr. Psycho: If you say so...

-----

(_Let's get to work, my fellow matchmaker's!_)

(Only I am allowed to use "fellow"!)

(It's not like the word is your property...)

(_Let's go, Tsubaki, Patti! Kid and Black Star are useless!_)

(**Hai.**)

(_**Haaaaaai, Nee-chan! Okie dokie!**)_

* * *

**Day 6**

Soul and Maka: *each sitting at the other end of the couch and being embarrassed*

Dr. Psycho: Ehm... good afternoon?

Maka: H-Hello... *neither looking at Soul nor at Dr. Psycho*

Soul: Whatever... *neither looking at Maka nor at Dr. Psycho*

Dr. Psycho: You two don't really look like you're going to cooperate... *looks through her notes* So, we're going to talk in private conversations today. How about we start with you, Maka?

Maka: S-sure...

Dr. Psycho: I would like you to leave the room, Soul. You can wait in the room next door.

Soul: *getting up* Sure, whatever.

Dr. Psycho: *after Soul left* "Whatever" seems to be his favourite word.

Maka: Yes. Except "cool", you mean.

Dr. Psycho: Yes... but let's start now.

Maka: Okay.

Dr. Psycho: I have noticed that you two seem to be kind of awkard around each other today. Did something happen?

Maka: Well... I don't know how to put it into words...

Dr. Psycho: I am your therapist. I am here to listen and I won't laugh at you or anything, so you can tell me whatever you want.... Argh, now I used the word, too!

Maka: Hm... *sighing and giving in* Okay...

Dr. Psycho: Take as much time as you need. It won't hurt Soul that much to wait a little bit longer.

Maka: You know... yesterday... after the therapy, we went to meet our friends... And they seemed strange from the very beginning but I paid no heed to it and just relaxed... *looking up, almost desperate* They caught me completely off guard!

Dr. Psycho: What do you mean?

Maka: They... well, they... they bumped our heads together... and we... we...

Dr. Psycho: It's okay. Breathe in and out. And in and out.

Maka: *breathing in and out and in and out*

Dr. Psycho: And now tell me what happened.

Maka: We accidentally KISSED! *slapping a hand to her mouth and blushing madly*

Dr. Psycho: ... oh. *writing on the paper slowly* Hm... what did you feel?

Maka: What?

Dr. Psycho: What did you feel the moment you both accidentally kissed?

Maka: Eh? *turning an even deeper red*

Dr. Psycho: Don't be afraid. It's not like I will tell anyone. Whatever you say will stay in these four walls.

Maka: Thank you, Dr. Psycho...

Dr. Psycho: Now, do you want to answer the question?

Maka: Yes... ?

Dr. Psycho: Good. So, what did you feel the moment you both accidentally kissed?

Maka: Well... first, I was really embarrassed.... Really, really embarrassed, I mean! But then...

Dr. Psycho: Then?

Maka: Then it... it felt... kinda nice.

Dr. Psycho: Nice?

Maka: Y-yes... kind of. It was... I don't know... It just felt... right.

Dr. Psycho: Mhm. *scribbling something down*

Maka: I... I... I guess, I liked... it.

Dr. Psycho: What about him?

Maka: Him?

Dr. Psycho: What about Soul?

Maka: I don't know what he felt...

Dr. Psycho: That's not what I meant. I meant, what do you feel about Soul?

Maka: Eh? Well, he is my partner, so...

Dr. Psycho: That's all?

Maka: What do you mean?

Dr. Psycho: He is only a partner to you?

Maka: He is also my best friend.

Dr. Psycho: Mhm. So he is only your partner and best friend. Nothing else?

Maka: Room mate?

Dr. Psycho: What about soul mate?

Maka: Yes, that would fit him, too.

Dr. Psycho: Have you never thought about... hm... boyfriend?

Maka: B-boyfriend?

Dr. Psycho: Yes, I mean, you care deeply for Soul, right?

Maka: Right.

Dr. Psycho: You would do anything to see him happy, right?

Maka: Right.

Dr. Psycho: You feel good when he's around you, right?

Maka: Right.

Dr. Psycho: You are jealous when you see him with another girl, right?

Maka: Eh? *blushing*

Dr. Psycho: Right?

Maka: *looking down* R-right.

Dr. Psycho: You have to smile when you see him smile, right?

Maka: *smiling to herself dreamily* Right.

Dr. Psycho: You always associate white and crimson with him, right?

Maka: Right.

Dr. Psycho: You always hold on a little bit too tightly when you two ride his bike, right?

Maka: R-right.

Dr. Psycho: You think he looks cute when he is asleep, right?

Maka: Right.

Dr. Psycho: You long to touch his hair or touch his cheek when he is asleep, right?

Maka: ... right.

Dr. Psycho: You often find yourself thinking about him and smiling in the process, right?

Maka: Right.

Dr. Psycho: You are in love with him, right?

Maka: Ri--- ... what?

Dr. Psycho: Hm? *looking completely innocent*

Maka: What did you just ask? *red tinted cheeks*

Dr. Psycho: What?

Maka: I mean... the question just now... What was it?

Dr. Psycho: *looking at her notes* Hm? Oh, I don't know... What did I say?

Maka: I-I think I heard how you asked if... if I was in love with... him...

Dr. Psycho: Oh, really?

Maka: R-really... I mean... I think.

Dr. Psycho: Mhm... So, are you?

Maka: What?

Dr. Psycho: I mean in love. Are you in love?

Maka: I...

Dr. Psycho: Come on, Maka. Make an effort. You know it won't hurt.

Maka: I... am.

Dr. Psycho: You are what?

Maka: In love?

Dr. Psycho: With whom?

Maka: S-soul... ?

Dr. Psycho: Can you phrase a whole sentence, Maka? C'mon, say it out loud. You can do it. I'll help you.

Maka: *gulping and blushing furiously* I--

Dr. Psycho: Maka Albarn.

Maka. Right. I, Maka Albarn, am in love with---

Dr. Psycho: My partner and best friend.

Maka: I, Maka Albarn, am in love with my partner and best friend---

Dr. Psycho: Soul Eater Evans.

Maka: *gulping once again* I, Maka Albarn, am in love with my partner and best friend, Soul Eater Evans...

Dr. Psycho: That's it!! *clapping her hands* That's what I wanted to hear!!!

-----

(_YAAAAAAY! SEE WHAT I TOLD YOU???_)

(**Liz, this is wonderful!**)

(Liz, not so loud.)

(_Not so loud?! THIS IS JUST WONDERFUL!!!_)

(_**YAY! Nee-chan! You made it!**)_

(Woah, who would have thought that?)

(_Ehm, everyone?_)

(Yes, everyone except Black Star because he is too dumb to understand something as complex as love.)

(HEY! WHY AM I CALLED DUMB AGAIN?!)

------

Dr. Psycho: Maka, that was wonderful. Thank you. You can take a break now. Please call Soul in.

Maka: O-okay... *leaves the room quickly*

Soul: *enters the room*

Dr. Psycho: Hello, Soul. *grins*

Soul: Why are you beaming like this?

Dr. Psycho: We just had a sense of achievement.

Soul: Yes?

Dr. Psycho: Yes. Let's hope we can achieve another one, right?

Soul: Whatever.

Dr. Psycho: Tell me, Soul.

Soul: What?

Dr. Psycho: Tell me what happened yesterday.

Soul: ... what do you mean?

Dr. Psycho: I think you know very well what I mean.

Soul: No, I don't.

Dr. Psycho: Soul, is there something you are hiding from me?

Soul: What would I be hiding from a therapist?

Dr. Psycho: I don't know... Maybe your feelings?

Soul: I don't have feelings for my therapist.

Dr. Psycho: What?! No! Not feelings for me, idiot!

Soul: What kind of feelings then?

Dr. Psycho: For ... Maka, maybe?

Soul: Maka?

Dr. Psycho: Your partner and best friend?

Soul: Yes. And what kind of feelings do you mean?

Dr. Psycho: Hm.... Love?

Soul: *chokes on his own saliva* W-what?

Dr. Psycho: Heh, caught you off guard, huh?

Soul: N-no... I mean, no.

Dr. Psycho: Ah, right. Cool guys don't stutter.

Soul: Right.

Dr. Psycho: And you're cool?

Soul: Of course I am. I'm the coolest one.

-----

(What an idiot.)

(_Almost as stupid as Black Star!_)

(You two searching a fight or something?!)

------

Dr. Psycho: Not cool enough to love?

Soul: What?

Dr. Psycho: Are you not cool enough to love?

Soul: I am cool enough. Haven't you listened? I'm the coolest one.

Dr. Psycho: But maybe you're not cool enough to confess that you are in love?

Soul: What?! Are you nuts? What kind of questions are these?

Dr. Psycho: Hoho, are you afraid to answer them? Is this the reason why you avoid them?

Soul: I'm not avoiding them!

Dr. Psycho: Then answer them!

Soul: Why would I?!

Dr. Psycho: Why not?!

Soul: You're almost as annoying as Black Star!

Dr. Psycho: Just answer the damn questions!

Soul: *groans* Fine!

Dr. Psycho: Fine! .... Eh, fine?

Soul: Fine.

Dr. Psycho: You mean fine as in fine?

Soul: Yeah, fine.

Dr. Psycho: Fine as in you will answer them?

Soul: Yeah.

Dr. Psycho: ... wow.

Soul: *raising his eyebrow* The question?

Dr. Psycho: Oh, right. The question is: Are you in love with Maka?

Soul: ...

Dr. Psycho: ...

Soul: ...

Dr. Psycho: Soul? I thought you said you would answer them?

Soul: Yeah, I will. I need thinking time.

Dr. Psycho: Thinking time? Is it that hard of a question? It's easy. Just shut off your mind and listen to your heart. Try it. Just once. Leave the cool guy attitude aside and be Soul. Only for three seconds. It will be enough, you'll see.

Soul: Hm...

Dr. Psycho: Trust me. Which one of us is the therapist here?

Soul: *breathes in deeply* I guess, I can give it a try.

Dr. Psycho: That's good. So, calm down. Breathe in and out. In, out, in, out.

Soul: *breathing in and out and in and out*

Dr. Psycho: Close your eyes. Relax. Breathe. Your eyelids become heavier and heavier with each second passing by. Forget all the problems and worries you have in your mind. Put them aside and concentrate only on Maka.

Soul: Maka, huh?

Dr. Psycho: Shhh, yes. Maka and Maka only. What do you see?

Soul: Pfft, Maka, what else?

Dr. Psycho: I mean what do you see about her?

Soul: Her... hair.

Dr. Psycho: What is her hair like?

Soul: Dirty blonde and silky.

Dr. Psycho: Silky? Have you ever touched it?

Soul: Yes.

Dr. Psycho: When?

Soul: She was asleep on the couch after studying too long again. I couldn't stop the urge to reach out and brush the strands of hair out of her eyes.

Dr. Psycho: Mhm... What about her eyes, Soul? What do you see?

Soul: They are forest green and big and sparkly. There's always this determination in her eyes. They can be hard one second and the next they can be soft and fluffy as clouds.

Dr. Psycho: Look at her face closer now. What is the most appealing?

Soul: Her smile. Definitely her smile.

Dr. Psycho: You like her smile?

Soul: Yeah...

Dr. Psycho: You also like her? Not only as your partner and best friend?

Soul: ... yeah.

Dr. Psycho: Is it strong enough to say that you would die for her?

Soul: Yes.

Dr. Psycho: Even strong enough to forget about your cool attitude and be a softie and an idiot in front of her when no one else is looking?

Soul: *smiling to himself slightly* Yeah.

Dr. Psycho: Soul, listen to me closely now. Tell me the truth, Soul. Is she more than just a friend to you?

Soul: ... yes.

Dr. Psycho: How much more?

Soul: A hell lotta more.

Dr. Psycho: And is there a conclusion to all your feelings towards her?

Soul: I don't know...

Dr. Psycho: What about love, Soul?

Soul: Love?

Dr. Psycho: Soul?

Soul: Yeah?

Dr. Psycho: Relax. I have one last question for you.

Soul: What kind of question, Doc?

Dr. Psycho: Soul Eater Evans, are you in love with your partner and best friend Maka Albarn?

Soul: *sighing softly* Yes.

Dr. Psycho: Yes?

Soul: Yes, I am.

Dr. Psycho: Okay, Soul, now breathe in and out. Stay calm and open your eyes.

Soul: *opens his eyes slowly*

Dr. Psycho: That's good, Soul. You did well. Please don't forget to tell her what you told me today, Soul, okay? *smiling softly at him*

Soul: Yeah... *grinning slightly*

-----

(_Ooooooooh, I knew it!!!_)

(***sighs dreamily***)

(YAHOO!!!)

(_**Ohohohoho, KISSU!! WHERE'S THE KISSU?!**)_

(Patti, have you not paid attention yesterday?)

**

* * *

**

**Day 7**

Soul and Maka: *now sitting VERY CLOSE to each other and even holding hands*

Dr. Psycho: *grinning like a madman* Ahhh~ I see. Today is the last day, so is there anything you want to say to sum the whole therapy up? We need a round end after all.

Maka: Thank you, Dr. Psycho. For your help and for all you did. This therapy really opened my eyes.

Dr. Psycho: I'm glad to hear this, Maka. What about you, Soul? Is there something you want to tell me? Or us?

Soul: Not really...

Maka: Soul! Don't be so rude! *looking at him for a while* Please?

Soul: Fine... *sighs* Thanks, Doc.

Dr. Psycho: What a wonderful sight. Now, my friends, if there is nothing else to be said, I suppose we can now close this case. I wish you the best for your shared path. Good bye, Soul, Maka.

Soul and Maka: Good bye. *getting up and leaving*

Dr. Psycho: I did very well. Don't you think so, too, guys? *grinning into the camera before switching it off*

-----

(_Yes, indeed. You did very, very well!_)

(**It's wonderful!**)

(What else is there to add? *smiling*)

(YAHOOOO!!!)

(_**YAAAAY! HAIL TO THE GIRAFFE!!**)_

* * *

**Epilogue** (Please imagine it to be said with a gay, french accent *laughs*)

It was a nice, sunny day and the gang enjoyed the silence and the sun.

"Haaaah, isn't it wonderful?", Liz asked as she adjusted her sunglasses into the right position again, making Kid freak because it was not symmetrically sitting on her nose. Liz just slapped his hands away.

Tsubaki smiled and leaned her head back into the grass. "Yes, it is."

Kid looked up from crying on the ground (remember the sunglasses?) and announced, "Look, that's Soul and Maka."

Everyone looked the direction he was pointing with his two index fingers. (Because it was symmetrical that way, of course!)

Liz's face was an expression of pure bliss and merriness. Until she heard their voices.

"WHAT?", Maka shrieked. "You left the TV on?! Do you know how much energy you waste with doing this?!"

"Can you stop screaming, please?", Soul retorted coolly.

Liz clamped her hands over her ears. They didn't stop arguing! They argued even more now! She fell to her knees, outstretched her arms heavenwards and screamed at the top of her lungs, "THIS STUPID THERAPIST!! AND I EVEN GAVE HER 100 DOLLAR!!", startling every single person around her.

In an apartment on the other side of the town, Dr. Psycho sat in her cushy psychologist's chair and grinned like a madman while throwing the money high above her head, so it was raining down on her. "YAY! MONEY!"

_**The End**_


	6. Chocolate, Buses & More

__

**_Woah! It has been... what, like months since the last time I posted anything. I sincerely apologize for this. Didn't mean to make you all wait for this looooong. Good news! I'm working on a new one-shot and it looks rather good right now, so I guess it should be up... hm, this weekend or so if nothing gets in my way (which, of course, is going to happen). Please hold on for a little longer. And even though these drabbles are all crappy and stupid, I hope you enjoy them and hope they make the waiting a little bit easier to handle. So, please read and review! Oh, what I also wanted to mention is that I really appreciate all your favourites and your reviews. They always make me feel so goood! Love you guys! You rock!_**

**__****__**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own anything... Sadly._**

* * *

1.) Giraffe

"Hello, Patti."

"Hey, Maka."

"What are you doing?"

"Drawing..."

"What are you drawing?"

"A man."

"What man?"

"I once shot him."

"Oh my God, Patti! Why did you shoot him?!"

"To watch him die..."

"OMFG, PATTI!!"

"But I got distracted by a giraffe plush toy in a window and so I missed him."

"Thank god..."

* * *

2.) Seeing Red

The apartment looked like a battlefield. Feathers were flying through the air, broken glass littered the floor, the coffee table leant against the couch and clothes covered every inch of the living room. The white haired teenage-boy cowered behind the couch fearfully, his crimson eyes scanning their apartment like unknown, enemy territory, mumbling to himself "Is it that time of the month again?!".

* * *

3.) Death

From his birth on Death was his constant companion. He was taught to handle Death. Death was no problem for him. He could handle it. Why couldn't he move then? Why couldn't he take his golden eyes off of the grave? Their death's were the only ones he couldn't handle. But there was nothing he could do about Death. Because Death was always around him. Because Death was his name.

* * *

4.) Listen

She would talk and talk for hours and he would merely answer. All she got from him was a nodding of his head once in a while or one syllable answers. It simply made her furious, so she shut her mouth and glared at him.

Only two seconds passed by as he turned his head to look at her. Confusion was wirrten all over his features. "Why would you stop?" His voice echoed through her ears and her eyes widened at the new realization. "It was the most interesting part."

Just because he was not much of a talker like her didn't mean he was not a good listener.

* * *

5.) Nightmare

A terrible and painful scream pierced through the dead silence of the night. Maka's eyes snapped open in an instant. Without a second thought, she bolted out of bed and tore the door open. The floor was icy cold as she ran through the hall to her partner's room. The door was slightly ajar and she pushed it even wider open. Within seconds she was by his side, gripping his hand and carefully shaking him to wake him up. He was tangled in his sheets and beads of sweat covered his forehead. His scream died down and he began to tremble violently. Her grip on him became even stronger as she softly nudged his shoulder, her voice barely audible when she whispered his name.

Soul's eyes opened slowly, as if in slow motion. Fear was embedded into the ruby orbs. They looked around the room until they finally fixated on his partner. A wave of relief washed over his face, making his eyes and features soft and vulnerable as he sat up and – in the same movement – pulled her into a strong embrace. She felt his breath in her neck when he let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God", he murmured into her hair. "You're alive." His voice sounded shaken and exhausted. "It was only a nightmare." To her it felt like he wanted to assure himself more than her.

"Yes, only a nightmare", she repeated as she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. "It's okay. I'm here and I'm alive."

And Soul was happy to no end. Because his worst nightmare was to lose his precious angel.

* * *

6.) Guilt

She knows it. She knows that she's the reason for all of this. The insanity, the pain, the guilt. It's all builing up on her and she can't take the pressure anymore.

Her eyes stay glued to his pale face. The beautiful crimson eyes are closed now and the unkempt snow white hair frames his face almost in a tragic way. All her faults, all her mistakes and all her guilt lie before her eyes and she can't stop the tears from spilling. She knows that it's her fault, she knows that she has failed him as a good technician. Oh, how she knows. And all she can wish for is that he is able to forgive her once again.

* * *

7.) Bus

Maka groaned. Oh, come on. Just how long did she have to wait until the stupid bus rounded the corner, so she could go home and relax from her tiring job? There's also this way too cool guy next to her and the old granny on her right side, waiting for the bus. But she didn't really want to talk to the granny and probably have to listen to how good the old days were, she was also too shy to approach the guy. Even though he was really good-looking! Beautiful crimson eyes and wonderfully snow-colored hair. And what a nice body!

Suddenly the bus rounded the corner and Maka mentally jumped with joy. Too bad, this instant her cell started ringing and she had to search for it in her bag. She could hear the old lady getting on but still couldn't find her cell. Finally, she found it but the ringing already stopped. She glared at it and then was about to get on the bus whose doors closed right before her eyes. With that, it started to move and quickly disappeared from her sight. Maka just stood there, dumbfounded. That was the last bus! How was she supposed to get home now?! That's when she noticed the person next to her. Slowly turning her head into the direction, her eyes widened a bit when she realized that the cool guy was still standing next to her and surprisingly grinning at her.

"You...", she squeaked. "That was the last bus. Why didn't you get on?"

"Wouldn't want to leave you here alone", he replied and stuck his hands into his pants' pockets. A really cool gesture how Maka figured.

She gulped. " Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Hm...", she said and smiled a little. "So..."

"So...", the man echoed.

"What are we going to do now?"

"Dunno... How about we get a drink? And afterwards I'll drive you home with my car."

"You have a car?" She lifted her eyebrows questioningly. "Then why don't you just go home with your car? Why did you wait for the bus when you weren't even getting on?"

"I've seen you here before... and well, I wanted to say hi to you."

"Eh... hi."

"Hey." A grin spread on the man's face. "What about it now? Wanna get a drink?"

Maka thought about it carefully, then shrugged her shoulders. "Ah, to hell with it. Why not?"

"Cool. I'm Soul, by the way."

"Maka."

They shook hands and made their way to the nearest bar they could find. And that's how Maka and Soul met. Today they finally moved into their own house.

* * *

8.) Chocolate

"Hey, Maka!" Soul shouted as he entered the apartment. "I've bought your favourite chocolate chip cookies! Come and get them!"

Maka's steps could be heard through the whole apartment as she quickly dashed towards him, ripped the chocolate cookies from his hands and turned around to walk away.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Soul said, making her stop in her movement to look at him behind her shoulder. "How about we talk? How are -" He stopped talking when she just walked away and closed the door to her room. "Or you could just ignore me. That's cool. I love when you do that", he grumbled and made his way over to the couch to lie down for a while. His good mood was definitely ruined for the whole day. Suddenly Maka appeared before him.

"Wanna ignore me some more? Well, go on and -", he spat but was cut off by Maka who had pressed her lips to his. She pulled back, smiled her typical sorry-smile and walked away.

Soul sat there, speechless, but then his lips turned upwards into a big grin. "Mmm, chocolate..."

* * *

**_Gaaaah, I just hate those paragraphs! Microsoft Word is definitely easier to handle! Grrr! Oh, by the way, # 7 was inspired by one dating-site-spot I've seen on TV :D :D :D_**


	7. To See You Again

___Oh. My. God! How long has it been since the last update? You guys can't believe just how sorry I am. I deeply apologize for not uploading earlier._

_And I deeply apologize... for this. I honestly don't know what this is. It... it just happened! Whatever, please tell me what you think because I don't know what to think about this. I don't have an own opinion, I know. :D I don't know what to say anymore, other than the fact that I don't own Soul Eater. I'm not even sure if I own my brain. Has anyone seen it, by the way?_

_**

* * *

**_

To See You Again

* * *

In the darkest room of the house, the only sound heard was paper being ripped to a million of pieces. Her brilliant eyes were shut tightly and, even though she felt so depressed and broken inside, no tear escaped her eye. How could he... ? She shook her head wildly. No, she wouldn't cry. Because she was strong. The door creaked open slowly. A shadow slippend into the room.

She didn't move. Just stared at the paper shreds on the floor. Softly, a hand touched her shoulder.

"Why did you rip the photos?"

She shook her head and the person whose hand lay still on her sighed quietly.

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Can you... can you please leave me alone?" Her voice was croaky, for she hadn't used it in a while. She had only been bottling the pain up over the last weeks. "Please."

Without any protest, her friend left the room and as soon as she was alone again, she crumbled to the floor, taking the shreds and all her memories into her hands. How could he just leave her alone? He'd always promised to give his life for hers if it came down to it. Why did he have to keep his promise? Why did he have to die for her?

Even though she told herself not to cry, she felt the tears well up in her eyes. But as her tears dropped onto her hands, a small smile found its way onto her face. She knew she couldn't live witouth her best friend and weapon. And she didn't plan to do so. She would see him again. Really soon.

This evening, the police of Death City was called to an apartment complex where a young corpse lay on the street. Right under the balcony. The young dead woman was shortly after identified by her shocked and crying friends as...

Maka Albarn, scythe meister of Shibusen.

She was not alone anymore. Her fingers intertwined with his as both of them, the weapon and meister pair, turned to the bright light. Smiling, they stepped through the golden gate to the shiny white of heaven.

* * *

_Fin. How about you leave a little review? Just a tiny litte one? Please? Pwetty pwease?_


	8. Death Angel

**Woooooow! Finally finished this! What a monster piece this turned out to be! 27 pages on Word!**

**I am so sorry for making you all wait so long, my dear readers and reviewers! I want to use this opportunity to thank you all for reading, reviewing, favouriting and alerting me and my stories! I really hope this makes up for the long time of waiting you had to suffer!**

**By the way, this is kinda inspired by **Silent Hill** and an episode from **Futurama**. The one who can guess what episode can choose what the next one-shot will be!**

**Furthermore, I am already working on another piece, so hopefully this time I won't take as long! Hope you enjoy! Please review if you like! :3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater, Silent Hill or Futurama. They all belong to their respective owners.**

**P.S.: Please don't hesitate to point out any mistakes you find! That'll help me a lot for the next time!**

**Love, Tina :)**

**_

* * *

_**

**_Death Angel_**

* * *

Soul and I always stood as one entity. We were meister and weapon. Best friends. Even though sometimes we argued, we always made up in the end. But to be honest he was always so much more to me than that. I trusted him, I cared for him, I protected him whenever he needed me. And he did the same for me. Never did any of us waver to jump in front of the other when danger was close. Every time we ended up in a hospital room, recovering from our wounds. It always ended up being one of us lying in the bed and the other waiting on the chair. But this time everything was different. This one single time I... I was not fast enough.

_My heart was thrumming so hard in my ears that I felt deaf. The darkness around me made me almost blind. I was leaning against a hard brick wall, coughing up blood and breathing heavily. I was clinging to my partner's weapon form. My hands had a death grip on the shaft of the powerful scythe._

_"Hey, Maka", Soul's reflection in the blade said. "Be careful. He's close-by."_

_He was right. Our opponent, a strong kishin-egg, was near. It was stronger than I had expected. I had already taken a blow to my right side and I felt the dull thrumming of the slash wound. Gritting my teeth, I risked a glance around the corner, only to be hit in the face by the kishin-egg. Letting out a surprised shriek, I flew backwards until I hit another wall. I crumpled to the floor and the clattering sound of metal hitting beton made all my senses jingle._

_"Maka!"_

_My hands had never once left Soul. I was still gripping onto him, even though I couldn't get my body to move and get up. I propped myself up on my elbow and opened one eye to look for my enemy. It was nowhere to be seen. Slowly but surely I picked myself up from the ground and got into a wobbly stance. My knees were trembling and my vision started to blur._

_"Shit", I cursed as I used my Soul Perception to locate the kishin-egg before it could plan its next attack. "Fuck!", I hissed and jumped to the side quickly to avoid the claw of the kishin-egg that slammed into the wall where I just had been standing only mere seconds ago._

_I whirled around to strike it with the scythe but suddenly the beast was right in front of me and my charge switched into a counter attack. The claw slammed against the pole of Soul's scythe form. I heard him wince in pain and quickly threw a glance into the direction of his reflection to see how blood ran down his cheek from a cut._

_Slamming my heels into the ground, I pressed myself forward and into the pole to push the monster away from me. In a split second I jumped back to increase the distance between us and the kishin-egg. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to plan an attack and just defended myself with Soul._

_"Shit", I breathed as I pushed the monster away another time, only to defend myself again in the next instant. "Soul, we can't keep going like this forever!"_

_I didn't want to look at him and his bleeding cheek when he said, "We need to get the fuck out of here, so we can plan what to do next!"_

_I knew that he was right but how the hell was I supposed to get away when this beast just didn't give up on me and was practically glued to the shaft of the scythe? Reacting immediately, I jumped sideways as the kishin-egg came in for another hit. My back collided with a street lamp and I quickly maneuvered my way around it to use it as a shield for the next hit of my enemy. The clawing monster cut the lamp in half, the upper part threatening to fall onto me and smash me to the ground. I blocked the street lamp and tried to get away as quickly as possible when the kishin-egg came right after me._

_I was not fast enough and took another hit. This time to my shoulder. Stumbling back from the pain, I took my eyes from the blood seeping through my coat, only to see my opponent high up in the air, ready for the final hit._

_"Maka! Get away!"_

_But my legs didn't cooperate._

_And then it all happened so fast that I at first couldn't comprehend what happened. Soul took on his human form and jumped from my arms to meet the kishin-egg mid-air. Only his arm was still transformed._

_"Soul, no!", I screamed but it was too late. He hit the kishin the same moment he was struck by the claw of the monster. Soul's arm had cut off the head of our enemy which now vanished into thin air, leaving a red glowing orb behind while Soul fell to the ground and landed with a sickening loud thud._

_"SOUL!"_

_I was immediately up and on my way to his motionless form. Falling to my knees, my hands hovered above his body, not knowing where I could put them without hurting him any further. Soul lay in his own pool of blood. The red, thick liquid was everywhere._

_Carefully, I shook him. "Soul, wake up! Soul, come on!"_

_He didn't react. My eyes started getting wet. I shook my head. No, no, no! I needed to get him to the hospital quickly. Slowly, I got him onto my back to carry him to Stein or whoever there was to help him. "Soul, hold on...", I sobbed as I made my way back to Shibusen. "Do you hear me? Don't you die on me, Soul!"_

Maybe if I had been faster, everything would be okay now.

I was sitting in the hospital room, staring at Soul's pale face. I didn't know how long I had still been here after his heart had already stopped beating. The continuous sound of the ECG-monitor echoed off of the walls. My tears were already starting to dry on my face. I felt lifeless. Helpless. Hopeless. Alone. Like a shell. "Soul, don't do this to me..." I couldn't recognize my own voice.

I had nothing more to live for. I had lost my purpose for life.

The past days I had been hollow. But now finally my world came crashing down on me and I was surprised at how good it felt to embrace the pain again.

* * *

I thought the death of my partner and best friend was already the worst that could have happened to me. But actually carrying him to the grave was so, so much worse.

I cried so much lately that it felt as though I couldn't cry anymore. There were just no more tears left. Now that I couldn't even cry any longer, I felt empty. What else was there to do when all I ever loved was now lying two feet under the ground?

Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, Kid, Crona and even Black Star were all quiet. They only tried to console me. They didn't dare say his name aloud. I didn't understand them. I knew that they only wanted to make things easier for me but didn't they understand that nothing would be easy for me from now on? For the rest of my life I will be damned to live with this guilt. With this sorrow. With this empty shell that used to be my mind. My soul. My heart.

But I didn't want anything of this to happen. I just wanted to awake from the nightmare. Or just curl into a ball in some lonely corner and never see the sunlight again. I was so tired. So incredibly tired. Tired of crying. Tired of mourning for my beloved partner. Tired of living without him.

* * *

A month passed by. It was December in Death City. Surprisingly, the ground was covered with a soft sheet of purely white, innocent snow which crunched under my boots as I made my way over to the Hook Cemetery to visit Soul's grave.

Soul's grave. This expression was so hard to get used to but now I was managing pretty well. Slowly but surely I was getting back into the normal routine. Even though I'd rather take another four weeks of break from Shibusen. I was just not ready yet to go all the way back into normality and deal with teachers or students.

I savoured my visits to the cemetery because then I could be near Soul. I felt his presence around me. His scent (a mix of cinnamon and fresh rain) filled my nostrils and I could feel his endearing crimson eyes on my face. Closing my eyes, I knelt down in front of the tombstone, carefully wiping the snow from the surface of the grave.

"Hello, Soul", I whispered. "I brought you some music sheets."

It was a phenomenon. The first week after his funeral I didn't dare set foot outside. But after some time I got this weird, sensational feeling in my gut. My legs worked on their own accord. They carried me to the cemetery and the tension in my stomach increased. It felt as though... as though Soul was calling me. It felt like he wanted me to come visit him. Even though that was ridiculous because Soul was dead and therefore couldn't call me.

After falling to my knees in front of his tombstone, I could clearly feel his fingertips on my skin, albeit I couldn't see him. The piano piece that he played for me when we first met came to life in my head. I just sat there in the grass for hours, staring at the grave and listening to the piano playing of my deceased love, wondering what in seven hells was happening. It felt like Soul was still alive and next to me, embracing me and whispering into my ear that everything would turn out just fine.

After this occurence I decided to visit his grave frequently. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday I came here to bring him music sheets. No flowers because I knew that Soul didn't really like flowers and I didn't want to upset him because I was afraid that he'd disappear forever. And every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday I came again to take the sheets with me. What kept me doing this was the fact that the sheets were filled out completely with musical notation.

I couldn't explain how it happened. Was it really Soul's ghost filling them out or was it the cemetery custodian who took care of the flowers and the graves? My logical mind told me it was the latter but my heart believed that it was Soul who did this. My mind and my heart argued about the explanation while my soul was confused. I just didn't know what to do anymore.

* * *

It was a cold Monday. After I had snuggled with Blair on the couch while listening to the radio (we got along much better than before), I had put on my coat, my earmuffs and my gloves. It was time to visit Soul's grave after all.

"See you later for dinner, Blair!", I called as I tightened my scarf before exiting the apartment. With the street being icey, I needed fifteen minutes longer than usual. Finally, I knelt down into the snow to pick up the music sheets which I always packed into a plastic bag, so they wouldn't get wet or dirty. As usual they were filled out.

But this time it was a different handwriting. And there was no musical notation but words filling the lines. It was only one sentence that's been written over and over again. _You can save him if you find me._

"What does this mean?", I murmured. All of a sudden I heard a sound behind me and whirled around instantly. There was nothing to be seen. I squinted and suddenly jumped up when I saw a shadow running from the bushes and into the opposite direction. As far as I could see it was a child. With one last glance to the grave, I pressed the plastic bag to my chest and decided to run after the kid.

The Hook Cemetery was bigger than I had imagined. From the outside it always seemed so cramped but in reality it was a vast area. Over the years the cemetery had changed. Trees and bushes had been planted to structure the graveyard, so you could find the way to the grave you were looking for more easily.

As I now came to a crossway I figured that the graveyard had somehow turned into a labyrinth over the years. The area had been expanded, so more graves would fit in but at the same time it all became very confusing. I looked right and left and tried to figure out where the child could have run to when I suddenly heard quiet laughter behind me. Turning around, I spotted a little girl with ash blonde pigtails that swayed in the strong winter wind. Her eyes were of a glistening emerald color and she wore a little black coat, emerald scarf and gloves and black earmuffs. She looked a lot like me when I was still little.

"Hey, you", I called, my condensed breath rose in white clouds into the sky. "What are you doing here? Are you lost?"

The girl only tilted her head to the side and stared at me.

"Are you okay? Who are you?", I questioned further and slowly stepped closer.

"Don't come closer."

I stopped mid-step and looked up to see that the girl lifted her hands, showing me the palms as if she wanted to stop me like this. Her voice had been a blissful ring - just like a wind chime. It sounded way too perfect and beautiful for a dreary place like this.

My lips were pressed into a thin line before I repeated, "Are you lost?"

"No." She shook her little head and the pigtails went flying. "But you seem lost."

"Me? No, I'm not lost."

"Yes. Yes, you are." Her glistening eyes sent me a stern look. "I am here to find you."

"To find me?" I frowned. "What do you mean? I'm not lost. I know this place, so how can I be lost?"

"You're not lost in the local sense", she said, lifting her hand and motioning to the cemetery. "But your soul is lost." Now she was directly pointing at me.

My eyebrows furrowed. "My... soul?" And suddenly the weird, sensational feeling from a month ago appeared again, making my stomach twist in knots.

"Can you feel him?", the girl asked and looked heavenwards.

"Him?", I repeated questioningly until it dawned on me. "It was you, right? You were the one filling out the music sheets."

She nodded. "Yes, indeed, I have written the sentence on the music sheets."

"Only the sentence?" My voice wavered. "What about the musical notation?"

She shook her head. "That wasn't me. I wrote only the sentence."

"What does that mean?", I asked and stepped backwards, bending down in the process because suddenly the feeling in my gut turned to an aching cramp. The pain was so unbearable that it brought me down to my knees. Groaning, I used one hand for support while the other still held on to the plastic bag. I lifted my head to look at the girl. Just then I noticed the cemetery chapel behind her. The door was ajar and slightly moving. It was probably the wind but to me it looked like the building was breathing.

"_You can save him if you find me_", the girl recited and stepped to the side, pointing to the chapel. "You found me. Now go and save him."

The pain released me all of a sudden. I was breathing heavily and slowly got up, dropping the plastic bag to the ground as my arms hung limply by my side. My legs worked on their own accord, carrying me past the girl to the chapel. I heard the steps behind me, so I assumed she was following me.

"Go on", she quietly said. "Go on and save him."

I stopped at the door and stared into the darkness of the building that awaited me before I took another step hesitantly. Row upon row passed me by as I went up to the altar, the candles lighting up as I passed them. Soon the inner of the chapel was illuminated by soft and warm light. I stopped right in front of the altar.

The girl went past me to a door at the back of the chapel. "This way", she said. "You're already expected."

"By whom?", I asked as my legs started carrying me to the door.

"You'll see", she answered and opened the door for me. I wanted to stop. I didn't want to go into the darkness. I tried to slam my heels into the ground but my body didn't obey. My heart started pumping faster than ever before. What the heck was wrong with me? Why was I so afraid of one measly, dark room? C'mon, I had seen worse!

Soon the darkness engulfed me and I heard the door slamming shut before it was locked. I gulped and closed my eyes, hoping I would wake up in my bed the next time I opened them. Pinching myself, I counted till 30 for safety and then opened my eyes, full of hope. I blinked once, twice – and nothing had changed. It was still dark. Another attempt. Closing eyes, pinching myself, counting till 30, opening eyes. No way! Still nothing had happened! I was on the verge of despair, panic already crawling up my spine.

Suddenly a melody pierced the silence, penetrating my soul and slowly picking it apart. Cold chills trickled down my back and a slight breeze made me shiver. Goosebumps covered my body. I had heard that tune somewhere before...

The music stopped abruptly and the lights flickered on. The light was so dazzling bright that it blinded me. It took some time before my eyes adjusted to the brightness. Then I looked around for the first time. The room in which I was, was kept completely white. What I immediately noticed was that there seemed to be no furniture or windows. The walls and even the ceiling were covered all over with photos.

Since I was sure now that I would not fall into eternal darkness, I ventured a few steps into the direction of the photos. I looked at a picture where a newborn baby, wrapped in towels, was held at the camera. Instead of screaming or crying, the baby just looked directly into the camera and even reached his little hand out for it. I had to smile but my eyes now wandered to a different picture.

Here, a little girl was standing in front of a large building. Her mouth was twisted into a wide, happy grin, her hair tied in two braids and she wore a sweet, light blue dress. The girl was no older than 5 years. When I looked at the picture more closely, she looked somehow familiar. Back then I wore my hair in braids as well and I could swear that I used to wear a similar dress.

"This is the same dress", a voice behind me suddenly said. "This is you."

I turned around, startled. Before me stood a woman dressed in a sleek, black, floor-length dress. Her hair was black as night and pinned at the back of her head. She wore perfect black pumps. Her eyes were like liquid mercury – glittering and reflective. The woman's face looked like a doll's face. Pale beautiful skin and full blood-red lips. She was too perfect to be true.

I drew back instinctively. "Who are you? And why am I here?"

The woman smiled gently. "I am the right hand of Death. And you are here because your heart is longing for something that I can give you, sweetheart."

I furrowed my brows. "The right hand of Death? You mean Shinigami-sama?"

The smile never left the woman's lips. "Yes, honey. God created Shinigami and He created me. God gave Shinigami the task to save mankind from the madness on earth but also to collect the souls of the dead and bring them to me. My task is to receive the souls of the deceased and explain to them that and how they died. Then the Lord will decide whether the soul will go to Purgatory, to Hell or to Heaven. I accompany the souls on their way to their ultimate goal. So you could call me Death Angel."

I stared at the ground for a while before I asked, "And what's all of this got to do with me? I'm not dead! What could you possibly give to me?"

"Soul." The woman's eyes bored into my head. I stared at her, shocked. She had said "Soul". Not "your soul".

"What... ?"

The woman stepped away from the wall in front of which she had just been standing. She raised a hand and pointed to a picture. It showed me and Soul in the snowy park. We were lying on our backs and making snow angels. This photo was taken during the winter break about three years ago. "I know that you are longing for him, your partner and best friend. Your soul told me, my love."

I chewed on my bottom lip to bite back the tears. "And what about it?", I snapped. It still hurt so much to think about him. I just wanted him back so badly that my heart contracted painfully. My lungs refused to work. Only my lacrimal glands didn't let me down. They worked as never before. Lifting my hand to wipe the stupid tears away, I looked elsewhere to avoid the woman's look. Damn her for making my hopes come up. I didn't want to hope anymore because I was so afraid of being crushed again. I didn't want to hurt any longer.

The Death Angel laughed softly. "Sweetness, I can give him to you. You can have him back."

My head shot up. I assumed that disbelief and confusion were written all over my features. "What?"

"You heard me right, sweetie. You can have him back. I have seen his soul and I have seen yours. And I can't stand to see souls suffering like this. It was too early for God to take him from you, so He decided to give your souls another chance to be together."

I was speechless to say the least. "For real now?", I managed to get out at last. "You're not kidding me, are you?"

"I am telling the truth, my dear. He is alive again this very moment. You have to hurry and get him out of his grave or he will suffocate. You might call Carl. He's out there behind the chapel. He will help you to get your friend out. Hurry up and see yourself. You don't have much time left."

Although the logical side of my mind still refused to believe what I just heard, I didn't need to be told twice. I sprinted to the door and yanked it open, surprised that it was no longer locked. With incredible speed I left the chapel and ran around the building to reach the back of it while I began to shout: "Carl! Carl! I need your help! Where are you, Carl?"

I skidded to a stop in front of a slightly hunchbacked middle-aged man with dark, already thinning hair and blue, twinkling eyes who had just bent over a flower bed and now raised his head again to look at me with curious and stunned eyes.

"What can I do for you, young lady?", he asked and smiled.

"Are you Carl, the cemetery custodian?", I asked, completely out of breath.

"Yes. At your service, young lady", he said and saluted smartly. "Where is the problem?"

"I need you to open a grave for me!", I said urgently.

"Why that?" He looked stunned. "I don't do this usually, so -"

"No, you don't understand!", I interrupted. "It's important! I need your help! We need to get my friend out of the grave or else he will suffocate!"

"What? Really?" He grabed a shovel that was leaning against the back wall of the chapel. "What are we waiting for? Where is the grave?"

"Come, I'll lead you!" I turned around and took off again, slower this time so Old Carl, as written on his tag, could keep up with me. I pulled out my phone to call Kid.

"You have to gather the others immediately and bring them to the cemetery, Kid!", I instructed him.

"What? But, Maka-"

I didn't hear what else he said because I already hung up.

Finally, we arrived at Soul's grave and I thought I could already hear his muffled screams from beneath. "Hurry up, Old Carl!" I started panicking, dropping to my knees to start digging with my hands. "Otherwise he'll die!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Old Carl stuck his spade into the ground and threw the first batch to the side. I was sure that he already did his best but he was still too slow! My panic grew into hysteria as I started screaming Soul's name. "Soul! Soul, hold on! Come on, Old Carl! Soul! I'm here! We'll get you out of there! Just hold on a little longer!"

It seemed like an eternity until Old Carl's spade met the coffin Soul was lying in.

"I've got it!", Old Carl shouted and threw the last clods of earth aside. I couldn't wait any longer and carefully shoved him aside to jump down onto the coffin. I tried to open it but it didn't budge. I stared at Old Carl helplessly.

"It's not opening! How do we open it?" The tears were flowing freely now and already dropping onto the dark wood of the coffin. I could still hear Soul screaming from beneath the wood. I started banging my fist against it. "Soul! Hold on, Soul!"

"_YAHOO!"_

At first I thought I had only hallucinated but then my brain comprehended the situation. The others had arrived! The others had arrived! _The others had arrived!_

I quickly wiped my tears away and then screamed: "Black Star, get your sorry ass down here and open that fucking coffin for me! Hurry, now would you!"

I looked up to see Black Star who was staring down at me and then at the earth that Old Carl had been throwing to the side. His eyes landed on me again. "What the heck, Maka?"

"JUST OPEN IT!", I screeched, making room for him to jump down next to me. Soul's screams from beneath me died down. "HURRY!"

"Fine, I'll do it!", he retorted angrily. "Even though I think you finally lost your mind!"

Black Star was obviously stronger than me because the coffin finally gave in and squeaked while opening. I shoved Black Star aside to yank the lid of the coffin open. I heard the others scream my name in horror and shouts like "Maka, what are you doing?" or "Maka, that's desecration of graves!".

I didn't listen to them. "Soul!", I cried while pulling him out of the coffin and pressing him to my body. He was awake and breathing heavily. I made sure his head was not stuck anywhere, so he would get fresh air. Everyone around us fell silent. I still couldn't believe that I was holding Soul in my arms right now, even though he had been still dead only minutes ago.

"What the hell... ?", Black Star murmured next to us. Then he shook his head, cupping his hands at his mouth to be louder before he shouted: "Kid! Call an ambulance!"

While I sobbed into Soul's shirt, I could hear how his breathing calmed down. Kid quickly pulled out his phone to call the ambulance. After he finished talking, everything was quiet again. Only my sobbing and Soul's breathing could be heard. It felt like the rest of the group stopped breathing. I felt their stares on the back of my head but I didn't care right now.

"Oh, Soul!", I breathed and lifted my head to look at his face. His eyes searched my face as if he was looking for scratches. Then our eyes met. He lifted a hand to touch my cheek and I immediately leaned into the warmth of it. Closing my eyes, I sighed happily. But the next thing he did made me open them in shock. "Who are you?", he quietly whispered and stared at me intensely.

"S-Soul... What do you mean?" I tried to laugh to hide my shock but I failed miserably. "I'm Maka. Your partner!"

"Maka?", he repeated questioningly and furrowed his brows. "It sounds so familiar."

He scared me. "Soul, stop with the jokes. You frighten me."

"Yo, man, what the heck are ya talkin' 'bout?", Black Star asked, slapping Soul's back playfully. Soul averted his eyes to Star who jumped back in surprise. The crimson eyes looked like a fire was burning behind them.

I touched his cheek to make him look at me again. "Soul, please, what's wrong with you?"

"Who are you?", he snapped and pushed me aside to get out of the coffin. "And why the hell am I lying in this stupid coffin?"

I just sat there, dumbfounded. Then I heard the siren of the ambulance coming closer until the sound of tires crunching on snow could be heard. The medics pulled Soul out first, then Black Star followed and last but not least they pulled me out of the grave. I sank to my knees while Soul was transported into the ambulance that shortly after drove away with blinking lights and a beeping siren.

Tsubaki touched my shoulder softly. "Maka, don't you want to come home with us?"

Carefully, I shook my head. "No, Tsubaki, go without me. I'll meet you guys later. I need some time to think about what just happened."

Even though I could see clearly that Tsubaki wanted to protest, she just nodded and told the others quietly that I needed to be alone now. Everyone glanced at me a last time before they went off. Old Carl took his shovel, patted my shoulder lovingly and went his way while I stayed in the same spot, staring into the distance. Soon after, the sun began setting and I finally got the strength to get up. I didn't go home right away. First I needed to go somewhere else.

Suddenly the chapel seemed so much older and darker than before. The snow crunched under my boots as I made my way up the stairs to the entrance of the holy building. The door squeaked as I opened it and went inside. The candles were still lit but almost burned down now, so the light was weak and somehow depressing. With quick steps I strode over to the door at the back of the chapel and yanked it open. Darkness awaited me. This time I didn't hesitate and stepped inside, pulling the door shut.

I gulped and then took a deep breath. "I know that you're here. So come out, Death Angel."

The lights flickered on. I heard the clicking of the woman's pumps behind me. "May I help you, sweetheart?"

I whirled around, balling my hands into fists at my side. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?", she quietly asked, her voice perfectly even and composed. "Granting your biggest wish? Is it that?"

Shaking my head, I said, "No! You didn't grant my wish! Soul can't remember anything!"

"But he's alive, right? He's safe and sound, just like you wanted him to be. You didn't ask for anything else."

"But... How am I supposed to live like this? If he can't even remember _me_!" I glared at her. She didn't even flinch in the slightest.

"Well, honey, how about you get used to it?", she proposed. The rage in my chest built up.

"What?", I snarled. "Are you kidding me?"

"No", she calmly replied. "You asked for him to be alive again. I granted your wish. You never once asked for his soul."

The anger dissipated into hot air. Blank shock took its place. "Wh-what? You... You still have his soul?"

"Of course, dummy." She laughed softly. "Did you really believe you could have his soul so easily? Without doing anything for it?"

"What... What can I do to get his soul back?", I asked desperately. This woman frightened me. She was kinda creepy.

"You have to find out. But be careful, it's not an easy path to travel." She turned around and went into the direction of the door. Opening it, she turned her head to look at me a last time. "By the way, you're amusing, so... I think you can have as many chances as you want because I really like you. Just come here whenever you want another chance. I'll be waiting for you."

With that said, she disappeared into the darkness, the door falling closed and the lights going out, leaving me behind in complete darkness. I sobbed for the last time, then quickly wiped my tears to leave this rotten place.

* * *

I went home first to fetch Blair and some things Soul might need before I went to Shibusen to visit Soul in the infirmary. Kid had told me they didn't take Soul to the hospital because he refused going there, so they had no other chance than to bring him to Shibusen.

"Nya, is something the matter, Maka?", Blair asked, half hanging and half sitting on my shoulder in her cat-form. "Shouldn't Maka be happy that Soul is okay again?"

"Oh, I'm, err, I'm happy", I lied. "Still a bit shocked, that's all. That'll change as soon as everything gets back to the normal routine. Trust me, Blair, I'm fine."

Blair didn't say anything after that, only purring once in a while when she almost fell off.

We reached Shibusen quickly. I stopped to take a deep breath before knocking on the door of the infirmary. Nygus opened the door for me. "Ah, Maka", she said, invisibly smiling under her bandages. "Come on in. He's awake. But don't stay too long, okay? It's already pretty late and he needs to rest."

I nodded my head. "Thanks, Miss Nygus. I won't stay long."

She stepped aside to let me through before she went out, closing the door to give us some privacy. I walked up to the bed with a strange feeling in my chest. My heart ached but I didn't pay that no heed. Instead I concentrated on Soul's face. He was sitting in his bed and staring out the window but as soon as I came into view his eyes wandered over to me. He stared at me as I pulled out a chair to sit next to the bed. I put the plastic bag with his things on the nightstand. Blair jumped from my shoulder onto the bed where she curled into a ball, purring contentedly.

"Hello, Soul", I quietly said. "How are you?"

He shrugged and turned his head away to stare out of the window again. "I don't know. You tell me. How should I feel when I find out I was buried but can't remember a single thing now?"

"I... I don't know..." Slowly I started taking off my coat, scarf and gloves, putting them next to the bag on the nightstand. "You can't remember anything? Not even that your name is Soul or the place you live is my – I mean, our - apartment?"

Soul's eyes turned back to me, observing me the whole time. "Nothing."

Staring into my lap, I pushed my fingertips together while biting my lower lip. I didn't know what to say. What could I possibly say to my best friend who didn't even remember me at all? Gulping, I looked up to see him still staring at me. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?", I carefully asked upon seeing his pained expression.

He shook his head slowly. "No", he said through gritted teeth. "It's just that... that..."

"That?", I asked.

Soul looked at me intensely. "I don't know... You look so familiar... But I can't remember you even though I try so hard, really. And now my head aches. It's just too much at once."

Slowly I lifted my hand to touch his hand lying at his side but then I pulled back, only smiling at him reassuringly. "I know, Soul. I know. Don't try to remember too much at one time. Don't try to remember at all today, okay? Just rest. I'm sure everything will turn out fine. You just need to rest for some days. Don't worry. Everything will turn out alright."

We just sat there in silence for the next hour, neither of us daring to say another word. Slowly but surely I packed my things to leave. "I'll come back tomorrow, Soul", I said while putting on my coat and gathering the sleeping Blair into my arms. "Good night."

"Night", he quietly whispered before I closed the door behind me. Leaning against the wood, I just stood there for a few moments, letting the tears out that I held back inside.

* * *

The next visits went exactly the same way. We talked for five minutes about this and that and I often asked him how he was feeling. It was the same all the time. Then we sat in silence until I gathered my things, told him I'd come back the next day and left to go home where I would lock myself in my room and cry the whole night.

Slowly but surely Soul changed. His expression now always looked pained. He didn't talk with me anymore. Or anyone else for that matter. I would ask Nygus if he'd talk to her but she always shook her head, telling me, no, he didn't talk at all, not even with her. My spirits slowly but surely died down. The light at the end of the tunnel that I had begun seeing after Soul was revived had faded into a small flickering candle. The hope that had begun building up in my chest fell apart to a pile of ashes.

Today was already 15th December. Meaning he was here already two weeks but not recovering at all. His wounds didn't heal. They would only open up again, so Nygus insisted on leaving him in here until she could figure out what was wrong with him. Somehow I had the feeling that Soul just _didn't_ want to recover...

Gulping, I slowly opened the door of the infirmary. Sticking my head inside, I could see Miss Nygus at her desk. I coughed to get her attention. She looked up and invisibly smiled at me as she always did when I visited. "Hello, Maka, come on in. I'll be gone in a minute. I only need to finish this quickly."

I nodded and closed the door behind me. I eyed the curtains, behind which Soul was lying in his bed, uneasily. My stomach twisted in knots. Soon after, Nygus patted my shoulder and left the room. I left my coat hanging on the back of her chair, taking a deep breath before I pulled the curtains aside.

A deafening cry came from my throat as my hand flew over my mouth. Seconds ticked by but I didn't move in the slightest.

At the sight of Soul, my blood ran cold. I had a sudden feeling of nausea. I started choking but nothing was coming out. Nothing at all. My eyes watered and fat tears rolled down my cheeks, dropping onto the ground with incredible volume. It sounded like glass shattering. My heart pumped so much adrenaline into my blood that I felt dizzy. Finally, oh, finally, I found my voice again, using it like never before.

"SOUUUUUUL!"

He lay in his bed. Covered over and over with thick blood. Several big and long thorns stuck out of his chest. Blood was gushing from the wound and I could see how his gastric acid trickled down the side of the bed and onto the floor. Behind him there was writing on the wall. It was written in blood – Soul's blood, I assumed. _You weren't fast enough_, was written there. My stomach churned and I bent down, choking and puking my guts out. Stumbling back after I finished emptying my stomach, I hit the shelf behind me which started wobbling until all the little bottles fell down. The sound of glass shattering made all my senses jingle. My vision blurred but I still couldn't keep my eyes off of my dead partner.

The window was closed and Nygus had been here the whole time. No one could've come inside and do this. How did this happen? I sank down on my knees, sobbing loudly and screaming Soul's name over and over and over and over again...

Suddenly it felt as if an electric shock raced through my body, numbing the pain in my heart and in my head until there was nothing but darkness around me. I gladly faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

I awoke with a scream. Looking around frantically, I noticed that I was in my room. I was breathing heavily, sweating and crying. It was just a nightmare. My head fell back onto the pillow. It was just a nightmare. Just a nightmare. Just a nightmare...

Slowly I got up and snatched the calendar off of my nightstand to look at the date. 15th December. I gulped loudly, setting the calendar aside to stare at my reflection in the mirror. I had bags under my eyes and my cheeks and eyes were swollen from all the crying. All in all, I looked awful.

"Come on, Maka", I said to myself, slapping my hands to my cheeks. "What's wrong with you? Pull yourself together! Do it for Soul!"

After changing and having a quick breakfast, I bid my goodbye to Blair before leaving the apartment. Outside, my condensed breath rose in white clouds as I made my way over to Shibusen. I met Tsubaki and Black Star on the way, telling them that, yes, I was going to visit Soul again and, yes, I would send their compliments to him and, yes, maybe he was feeling better today. I quickly said goodbye and went my way again.

Gulping, I slowly opened the door of the infirmary. Sticking my head inside, I could see Miss Nygus at her desk. I coughed to get her attention. She looked up and invisibly smiled at me as she always did when I visited. "Hello, Maka, come on in. I'll be gone in a minute. I only need to finish this quickly."

I nodded and closed the door behind me. I eyed the curtains, behind which Soul was lying in his bed, uneasily. My stomach twisted in knots. Soon after, Nygus patted my shoulder and left the room. I left my coat hanging on the back of her chair, taking a deep breath before going over to the curtains to pull them aside.

I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at my hands as if they weren't part of my body. Somehow I had this strong feeling of déjà vu. Did this already happen? Why did I feel like something bad was awaiting me behind those curtains? Shaking my head, I pulled them aside to see Soul sitting in his bed and staring out the window again. My heart sank, even though relief washed over me.

"Hello, Soul", I greeted him, sitting down in the chair next to the bed as usual. "How are you feeling today?"

He turned his head to look at me and I gasped in shock. His eyes. His eyes. His eyes were almost lifeless. Faded crimson orbs stared at me, bored into my head, pleaded me to help him, even though I didn't quite know what I was supposed to do.

"Soul, are you alright?", I worriedly asked. "Hey, what's with your eyes?"

He lifted a hand to grip his head. "My head", he groaned – after days without speaking to anyone. "It hurts so much. Please make it go away. Please help me!"

Jumping up, my hands hovered above him, not knowing where I could put them without hurting him in any way. "Soul! Hang on! Why does your head hurt? Soul, tell me!"

"It hurts so much", he whimpered. "Make it stop. Please, I beg you, make it stop! Make it stop! Please help me, Maka! Help me!"

I was on the verge of tears. What was I supposed to do? My partner was in pain and I couldn't even do anything! I felt so helpless, so useless. Suddenly my hands fell down, my arms hanging down limply by my side as Soul wailed in pain. What was I good for? What could I do? I was so useless!

"What am I good for, Soul?", I whispered brokenly. "I can't even help you. Why do I live, Soul? What's my purpose for life?"

"Make it stop!", Soul screamed. "It hurts! It burns! It's breaking me! Make it stop! Make it go away! Help me! Help me, Maka!"

I just stood there, watching him. My tears dropped onto the bed, onto my shoes and onto the floor, leaving dark spots on the surfaces. My body didn't obey. I couldn't raise my hand to touch him. I couldn't turn around to get help. I couldn't use my body at all. All I could do was stand there and watch as my best friend and partner screamed in pain, begging me to help him while I was uselessly standing around. I was on the verge of despair.

Suddenly his screams died down. He fell forward onto the bed, not moving at all, not making a sound anymore. Suddenly time went by so quickly. Suddenly my body reacted again. I rushed forward and grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him absentmindedly.

"Soul...", I begged, tears streaming down my face. "Wake up, Soul..."

I tried to tell myself that everything would turn out fine. Everything would be alright again, right? Right? _No!_ Who was I kidding? Nothing was going to be alright...

Nygus threw the door open. "What happened, Maka?"

I heard Kid and someone else enter as well. They were shouting my name, Soul's name, our names. I felt their arms, their hands on my skin, trying to pull me away to get a better look at Soul. But I didn't need them to. I didn't need them to find out what I already knew. I broke down on his bed, cradling him in my embrace, rocking back and forth slowly.

Soul was dead.

He died before my eyes.

* * *

Soul was dead. He had died from a cerebral tumor. That's why his head had been aching.

I was kneeling in front of his grave, staring at the tombstone, staring at the engraved name of my partner and best friend. I stayed there, even after everyone else had already left. No one remembered that Soul had been revived before. Everyone looked at me like I was going insane when I told them about how we had gotten him out of his grave. No one believed me. Everyone thought I had been dreaming too much lately. But they had pity on me, saying I was just too swallowed up in sorrow that I didn't even know what I was talking about. I didn't care what they thought. I just couldn't believe I had lost my beloved partner again.

"Not again...", I choked out through tears. "Not again, Soul... How could this happen?"

"Let me have a guess", a voice behind me said. I turned around, not caring if the person saw my tears or not. It was the little girl from a few weeks ago. The one who had guided me to the chapel. The one who had filled out the music sheets. "You will want to have another chance, am I right?"

Wiping my tears, I nodded, "Yes."

I wanted another chance. This time I would do everything right. This time I would not lose Soul.

"Then follow me. The chapel is waiting for us", she said, offering me her hand. I took it and pulled myself up from the ground, following her as she took the lead. Soon the darkness of the room at the back of the chapel surrounded me again. The dazzling bright light flickered on, blinding me again.

"You have come here to get another chance, my love", the Death Angel said. "I will grant your wish. Go out. Hurry. Call for Carl."

Nodding, I sped out of the chapel and around the building while screaming for Old Carl. I skidded to a stop in front of the hunchbacked, middle-aged man with the dark, already thinning hair and the blue, twinkling eyes. He had just bent over a flower bed and now raised his head again to look at me with curious and stunned eyes.

"What can I do for you, young lady?", he asked and smiled.

"You are Old Carl, the cemetery custodian, right?", I asked, completely out of breath.

"Yes. At your service, young lady", he said and saluted smartly. "Where is the problem?"

"I need you to open a grave for me!", I said urgently.

"Why that?" He looked stunned. "I don't do this usually, so -"

"No, you don't understand!", I interrupted. "It's important! I need your help! We need to get my friend out of the grave or else he will suffocate!"

"What? Really?" He grabed a shovel that was leaning against the back wall of the chapel. "What are we waiting for? Where is the grave?"

"Take that hedge trimmer with you, too", I said hastily.

"Why that?", he asked, confused. "Why would I need it?"

"Just do it!", I snapped, turning around as I took off again, slower this time so Old Carl could keep up with me. I pulled out my phone to call Kid.

"You have to gather the others immediately and bring them to the cemetery, Kid!", I instructed him. "And get an ambulance here as well! Quickly!"

"What? But, Maka-" I didn't listen to the rest of what he said because I hung up.

Finally, we arrived at Soul's grave again. I could hear his muffled screams from beneath. "Hurry up, Old Carl!" I dropped to my knees to start digging with my hands. "Otherwise he'll die!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Old Carl stuck his spade into the ground and threw the first batch to the side. I was sure that he already did his best but he was still too slow! "Just hold on, Soul!", I screamed.

It seemed like an eternity until Old Carl's spade met the coffin Soul was lying in.

"I've got it!", Old Carl shouted and threw the last clods of earth aside. I couldn't wait any longer and carefully shoved him aside to jump down onto the coffin. I didn't try to open it with my hands this time but only looked up at Old Carl to ask for the hedge trimmer. He bent down to give it to me. I used it to yank the coffin lid open. While I pulled Soul out of his prison, I could hear how the others and the ambulance approached.

Black Star was the loudest one of them. "Maka, what the heck are you doing?"

"Help me to get him out!", I shouted. "Faster! We need to get him to Shibusen quickly! He's not dead! Soul's alive!"

* * *

Soul recovered quickly and though he couldn't remember me, I got used to explaining our life to him in detail. Somehow it was fun to see his eyes sparkling when he thought he remembered something. Even though I tried to pretend that everything was okay, I still felt the burning pain at the back of my heart. I banished it into a small box and stuffed it somewhere deep into my brain, so I wouldn't have to deal with it.

Soon we could attend Shibusen again. Soul was almost normal again. It worked out, I said to myself. It really worked out. Soul was safe and sound. And nothing had happened - so far.

It was just a normal day like all the other days. Soul and I were walking down the halls of Shibusen, heading to the exit to go home for dinner. This time it was my turn to cook and I had planned something really delicious. I was so glad to have Soul back by my side. Turning my head to smile at him, I noticed that he had stopped, some steps behind me.

"Soul, is everything alright?", I asked.

He was staring at the board with the missions. "Why don't we go on a mission, Maka?", he asked, looking at me with curiosity in his eyes. I felt something stab at my heart but I tried to ignore it. It was nothing, I told myself. Nothing. Everything was alright.

"I don't know...", I answered, coming closer until I stood next to him, also staring at the various missions. "Would you like to go on one?"

"Yes", he said and grinned. My heart sank. "That'd be cool."

Even though I'd rather said "no", I couldn't bring myself to reject him, so I said, "Sure, then decide which one we'll take."

Thank God, he picked out an easy mission. It was just hunting down a kishin-egg tyrannizing Death City and its citizens.

The next evening we went out to hunt that kishin down.

* * *

My heart was thrumming so hard in my ears that I felt deaf. The darkness around me made me almost blind. I was leaning against a hard brick wall, coughing up blood and breathing heavily. I was clinging to my partner's weapon form. My hands had a death grip on the shaft of the powerful scythe.

"Hey, Maka", Soul's reflection in the blade said. "Be careful. He's close-by."

He was right. Our opponent was near. The kishin-egg we were supposed to hunt down was stronger than I had expected. I had already taken a blow to my right side and I felt the dull thrumming of the slash wound. Gritting my teeth, I risked a glance around the corner, only to be hit in the face by the kishin-egg. Letting out a surprised shriek, I flew backwards until I hit another wall. I crumpled to the floor and the clattering sound of metal hitting beton made all my senses jingle.

"Maka!"

My hands had never once left Soul. I was still gripping onto him, even though I couldn't get my body to move and get up. I propped myself up on my elbow and opened one eye to look for my enemy. It was nowhere to be seen. Slowly but surely I picked myself up from the ground and got into a wobbly stance. My knees were trembling and my vision started to blur.

"Shit", I cursed as I used my Soul Perception to locate the kishin-egg before it could plan its next attack. "Fuck!", I hissed and jumped to the side quickly to avoid the claw of the kishin-egg that slammed into the wall where I just had been standing only mere seconds ago.

I whirled around to strike it with the scythe but suddenly the beast was right in front of me and my charge switched into a counter attack. The claw slammed against the pole of Soul's scythe form. I heard him wince in pain and quickly threw a glance into the direction of his reflection to see how blood ran down his cheek from a cut.

Slamming my heels into the ground, I pressed myself forward and into the pole to push the monster away from me. In a split second I jumped back to increase the distance between us and the kishin-egg. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to plan an attack and just defended myself with Soul.

"Shit", I breathed as I pushed the monster away another time, only to defend myself again in the next instant. "Soul, we can't keep going like this forever!"

I didn't want to look at him and his bleeding cheek when he said, "We need to get the fuck out of here, so we can plan what to do next!"

I knew that he was right but how the hell was I supposed to get away when this beast just didn't give up on me and was practically glued to the shaft of the scythe? Reacting immediately, I jumped sideways as the kishin-egg came in for another hit. My back collided with a street lamp and I quickly maneuvered my way around it to use it as a shield for the next hit of my enemy. The clawing monster cut the lamp in half, the upper part threatening to fall onto me and smash me to the ground. I blocked the street lamp and tried to get away as quickly as possible when the kishin-egg came right after me.

I was not fast enough and took another hit. This time to my shoulder. Stumbling back from the pain, I took my eyes from the blood seeping through my coat, only to see my opponent high up in the air, ready for the final hit.

"Maka! Get away!"

But my legs didn't cooperate.

And then it all happened so fast that I at first couldn't comprehend what happened. Soul took on his human form and jumped from my arms to meet the kishin-egg mid-air. Only his arm was still transformed.

"Soul, no!", I screamed but it was too late. He hit the kishin the same moment he was struck by the claw of the monster. Soul's arm had cut off the head of our enemy which now vanished into thin air, leaving a red glowing orb behind while Soul fell to the ground and landed with a sickening loud thud.

"SOUL!"

I sat there motionlessly, not believing that it was happening again. I got up and slowly walked over to Soul's motionless form. Falling to my knees, my hands hovered above his body, not knowing where I could put them without hurting him any further. Soul lay in his own pool of blood. The red, thick liquid was everywhere.

Carefully, I shook him. "Soul? Soul, wake up, please..."

He didn't react – of course. My eyes started getting wet. I shook my head. No, no, no! Why was this happening again? I lay my head on his chest, sobbing loudly and letting out a deafening cry.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Soul was dead. Again.

* * *

I was curled into a tight ball on my bed, staring blankly at the wall. I didn't go the funeral this time because it was just too much for me. Everyone tried to get me to go but I flat-out rejected all of them, locking myself in my room and not coming out all day while I ignored their continuous knocking on my door.

I couldn't explain why this kept happening to me. I couldn't go on, could I? I couldn't stand the pain anymore, could I? Even though I swore to never go to that cemetery again, the sensational feeling in my gut returned, making me end up in front of the chapel again.

"Are you here to get another chance?", the little girl asked as she followed me into the inner of the building. I didn't have the faintest idea where she had suddenly appeared from but I didn't really care.

"Yes", I said confidently. "This time I won't screw up."

"Are you sure?", she asked and I was so sure to hear mockery in her voice. I stopped and turned around to look at her. "After all you already lost him. Three times. Do you really think you can do it this time?"

I balled my hands into fists, gritting my teeth. I wanted to curse but then bit my tongue because she was a kid after all. She didn't probably know what she was talking about anyway, so why should I bother teaching her a lesson? Turning around again, I continued proceeding into the back room of the chapel, closing the door behind me with one last glance at the girl's face. She looked so sad and broken that I left the door ajar to stare at her a little bit longer.

"I wish you'd just stop trying", she whispered, wiping at invisible tears. "Because it hurts so much, you know..."

I gulped loudly, turned around and closed the door. I could hear her muffled cries through the thick wood. Leaning my forehead against it, I bit back my own tears. I knew just how much it hurt. It hurt so much. It was so painful. So, so incredibly painful.

"Are you here for another chance, sweetheart?", the Death Angel asked and I whirled around to glare at her stupid, way too perfect face. I came to hate it now.

"Yes", I snarled.

She chuckled. "You know, it's become kind of boring lately, honey."

"And?", I spat. "What about it?"

"How about we make it a litte more interesting?", she asked and grinned at me. I balled my hands into fists once again, trying to maintain my anger before I wiped that stupid grin off of her face – once and for all.

"A little more interesting?", I repeated, seething. "And how?"

"Easy", she said, raising her finger. "This chance is your last."

My breath hitched in my throat. "But... but you said I could have as many chances as I wanted!"

"That's right. That's what I said. But I'm bored. And nobody ever gets as many chances as he wants. Don't you know that?" She chuckled again. "You're so naive, sweetheart. That's cute."

I was so shocked that I couldn't even respond.

"So this time is your very last chance. If he dies again, he'll be dead forever and there will no more bringing him back, understood? But now to the more interesting part." She laughed softly. "It will be so amusing if we made it a race. A race for the soul of your partner."

"A race?", I choked out, not understanding what she meant by that.

"Yes. If you reach his soul in time, you can have it and he'll be alive again – complete with soul, memories and everything else that is needed. But if you don't manage to get there in time, I..." She tipped her chin with her pointer finger until she brightened up with an idea. "Then I will take your soul for his!"

"What?" My eyes must have been as big as saucers by now.

"You heard me right, sweetie. If you don't manage to get to his soul in time, I will take your soul for his", she repeated, smiling brightly.

I needed some time to comprehend this. "That... that means, his soul will be free, no matter the result, right?"

"Right. He will be alive and free in the end, no matter what happens. But, you know, I can't just give his soul away without some work being done, so it's the only way, really. I'm kind of sorry, my love, but I am sure it will be pretty interesting." She laughed again. "I can't wait to see your efforts."

I gulped the lump in my throat down. "Okay", I said confidently.

"Is it a deal then?", the Death Angel asked, holding her hand out for me to shake it.

"Deal!", I affirmed as I shook her hand wildly.

Letting my hand go, she smiled again. "Good. Prepare to go for the limit, sweetness." She raised her hand.

"Wait!", I interrupted and she stared at me, confused. "How much time do I have?"

She smiled – mysteriously and a bit viciously, it seemed to me. "You'll see", she breathed. And suddenly I passed out.

* * *

When I woke up, I found myself lying on an uncomfortable bed in an almost completely dark room. The air here was musty and I needed some time to comprehend where I was or what had happened before. With one hand at my head, I slowly sat up, looking around the room, only to recognize that I didn't know this room. It wasn't mine. And it wasn't Soul's.

_Soul!_

I jumped up immediately, wobbling a bit because I still felt a bit dizzy. Shaking my head to clear it, I turned to look out of the window at the far end of the room. I was staring onto an empty, deserted street. I didn't recognize this street. The village in the background looked grey and dreary.

Gulping loudly, I turned around and left the room, landing in a long corridor. My eyes stayed glued to the door in the background but it seemed like it'd take an eternity to get to it. My legs started carrying me. I didn't look at the things passing me by – not once because I was afraid of them. Mirrors. Statues of the people I loved being horribly blemished. Moving figures with too many legs but not enough arms. And pictures – so many pictures. Pictures of me, pictures of Soul, pictures of our other friends.

I passed another mirror and suddenly stopped mid-step. I went backwards until I stood next to the mirror and turned around to stare at my reflection. My breath hitched in my throat. I didn't have a reflection! My eyes wandered to the bottom of the mirror where I saw something. But it was not me. It was the little girl.

She was crying, big tears were rolling down her cheeks and her little body was shaken by her loud and tremulous sobs. Her ash blonde hair was tied in two pigtails and instead of the winter garment she was now wearing a small, red dress. Suddenly I gasped in shock. The eyes of the girl moved upward to stare at me.

I stepped back warily. "No...", I breathed. "That can't be..."

"Do you finally see?", the girl cried. "Do you see?"

"No!", I screamed, covering my ears with my hands, so I wouldn't hear her. "No!"

"Yes!", she cried. "Yes! I am your soul! Do you finally understand?"

I sank down on my knees. "But... how?"

"I was there to warn you", she answered and new tears rolled down her cheeks. "It hurts so much", she whispered. "You need to find him quickly. You need to find Soul to make my pain stop!"

"How? How can I find him?", I asked quietly. "I don't even know where to search! I don't even know what to look for! Him? His body? His soul? What? What am I searching for?"

"Pull yourself together, Maka!", she said and lifted her hand to press it against the pane of the mirror. "You will find him!"

Before I could say another thing, she disappeared, leaving me behind with all those mirrors, statues, monsters and pictures I didn't want to look at because they scared me. Slowly I got up and turned back to the door, walking further and further until I finally reached it. I opened it and went through without glancing back once.

Finally I was standing on the street, looking left and right and wondering where to go next. Suddenly I heard a quiet whimpering voice. Even though it sounded so painful, I could hear that the voice was deep and obviously masculine. _Soul!_

I started running, following the voice which guided me through the streets and alleys of the bloody and rusty village. I was only looking forward, never glancing to the sides because I was afraid to see something I didn't want to see. But even though I concentrated on the street only, I could see them out of the corner of my eyes. I told myself to go on, never stopping to look at them closely.

They were everywhere.

Statues or moving figures.

Always looking like my friends' corpses.

"Go on, Maka!", I told myself quietly and rounded another corner, not knowing where I was going to exactly. I started screaming and jumped back in shock. In front of me was another corpse, hanging from a rope that was tied on a street lamp. The corpse looked just like Soul. Shaking my head, I tried to control my breathing and my sobs before I forwent the corpse without looking at it a second time. I was fighting with tears and nausea.

I couldn't go anymore. My strength had left me. I broke down in the middle of the street, using my hands for support. "Soul!", I screamed. "Soul, where are you? SOUL!"

As a reply I heard the whimpering voice again and told myself to get up and go on but I had no more energy. Suddenly I heard another voice, screaming in agony. My head shot up to look around and finally I spotted the Death Angel standing on a rooftop, holding the little girl in her hands and almost choking her.

"NO!", I cried as I jumped up. "LET HER GO! LET _ME _GO!"

"You need to hurry", the Death Angel said viciously. "Your time is running out."

"You tricked me!", I screamed. "How am I supposed to find him here? In the middle of nowhere?"

"Oh, are you already giving up?" She chuckled. "What a pity. And I thought I'd have more fun with you, Maka Albarn." She took out a knife, holding it to my soul's throat. "Say goodbye, Maka."

"NO!", I shouted and rushed forward helplessly until I suddenly bumped into something and stumbled back from the hit. With one hand at my head I looked up, only to see Soul standing in front of me.

"Soul!", I breathed, happy to see he was safe and sound. I made a move to embrace him but he only took my hands into his. His expression was pained.

"Maka, please", he begged. "You need to wake up, Maka, please."

"What?" I was confused and shook my head. "No, Soul, I can't leave you here. We're so close to the goal now. No, Soul, no." Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Maka, please!", he insisted. "Please, wake up, Maka! Wake up!"

His voice was so desperate and sorrowful that I couldn't stand it. I heard my soul screaming and crying as her little throat was cut open - with the blood splattering everywhere. Sudden pain shot through my body, bringing me down to my knees while Soul's hurt voice and the screams of my soul echoed in my head.

"Wake up, Maka", the Death Angel said before she licked the blood off of the knife. "Time to wake up."

"Please, stop!", I screamed. "No! Leave me alone!"

Soul fell down on his knees in front of me, still pleading and begging me to wake up. "Maka, I beg you, don't do this to me! You can't die on me, Maka! I can't live without you! So please wake up, Maka! I need you!"

I couldn't stop screaming and screaming and screaming and screaming and screaming...

* * *

"Maka!", a familiar voice shouted. It was so close to my ear. I tried opening my eyes or moving another part of my body. But I couldn't. My body felt so heavy. I heard other voices – all calling my name. My eyes fluttered open slowly. Bright light blinded me and a familiar scent filled my nostrils.

"Guys! Hurry! She's awake!", the voice shouted again before something warm touched my hand. My eyes finally adjusted to the brightness and I looked around the room I was in. Tears welled up in my eyes immediately when I spotted Soul, sitting next to the bed I was lying in.

"Soul!", I breathed. I couldn't recognize my own voice. It sounded weak and raspy.

"Maka", he whispered and he sounded so happy, so relieved, so _alive._ "You're awake. Thank God. I thought I'd lose you..."

"Soul...", I whimpered and slowly and carefully raised my arms to spread them out. "Please, hold me, Soul..."

At first he looked surprised but then he obeyed and softly embraced me as I cried into his shoulder. "I'm so glad, Soul... So glad... So, so glad... I thought I lost you, Soul..."

"Maka?", he quietly asked. "What are you talking about? You are the one lying in the hospital bed! I thought I lost _you_! Don't you remember anything?"

I lifted my head to look at his face. His face. I had to smile. His face was perfect. The skin was tanned and soft and his endearing crimson eyes were sparkling and shining with happiness. I shook my head. "No. What happened?"

He sighed. "We were hunting down a particular annoying and strong kishin-egg when the beast suddenly cut a street lamp in half. The upper part fell down and smashed you to the ground. You were immediately out cold. Thank God, Black Star and Tsubaki showed up at the right time to distract and finish that monster off. We took you to hospital. The doctors said you had a concussion and that you lapsed into a coma."

"How... how long was I out?", I carefully asked, staring into his loving, soft eyes.

"Almost three weeks", he said, sounding so desperate and sad I couldn't hold back the quiet sobs breaking out of my throat. "I already thought you'd never wake again."

I threw my arms back around his neck, pressing me as close to him as possible. Smiling, I took in his scent. A single tear rolled down my cheek. "I missed you, Soul. So, so much. Just now I figured how much I truly need you."

"I need you, too, Maka", he answered quietly. "I need you so much it almost hurts." He looked at me again, touching my cheek and stroking my lips with his thumb before he slowly bent down to press his lips onto mine. "Just now I figured how much I truly love you, Maka", he whispered with a soft smile after we broke apart for air.

I smiled the biggest smile possible and pressed my head back into his shoulder, mumbling, "I love you, too, Soul. I love you so much it almost hurts..."

* * *

_**The End.**_


	9. Of ruined kitchens and dresses

_I am SO sorry, guys, for letting you wait for soooo long for another fragment of this! Gah, I don't even know where to start with my apology. I know that this little piece of work here is never enough to repay you for all the time I let you down but I hope you can forgive me and actually enjoy this... something. I don't know what came over me today but I guess I just needed to write something "aggressive"..._

_The next fragment of "Pieces of my Soul" is actually already finished but I still have to translate it because I originally wrote in German. I hope that I'll be able to upload it some time next week. Until then, I hope you guys take care! You're so awesome :)_

_PS. If there's kids out there reading this, DON'T read this. You'll possibly get nightmares! Don't say that I didn't warn you._

* * *

How a ruined kitchen led to a ruined dress

* * *

"Gee, Soul, you're just the WORST!" Maka stomped away from him in rage, leaving the kitchen and running around in angry circles around the coffee table in the living room. The kitchen was a mess. Someone (and Maka was sure it was Soul) had put something in a metallic bowl into the microwave, causing the lot to explode. Now the remains of what Maka assumed used to be noodle soup covered every single spot of the room, making it look like a giant slug had hugged the furniture.

She had been out shopping with her friends where she bought the light blue summer dress she was wearing now, only to return to a ruined kitchen. Naturally, she was pissed.

"You're saying that's MY fault?", Soul angrily asked, following Maka into the living room. He'd been peacefully taking a nap on his bed when he'd suddenly heard an explosion, immediately bolting from his room to see what happened. Soul and Maka had entered the kitchen at the same moment. He refused to face the consequences of something he hadn't done. But Maka was too thick-headed to see that it wasn't his fault this time.

"Of course, it's YOUR FAULT!" Maka glared at him from across the room and started another round around the coffee table. "I wasn't home when it happened! It HAD to be you!"

"But it WASN'T me!", he protested, following his meister's every movement with his ruby red eyes. "I'm not THAT stupid to put a metallic bowl into the microwave!"

Maka stopped for a second to look at him angrily before she rounded the coffee table another time. Was it the fourth or the fifth time? Soul didn't know but he was getting dizzy from watching her run in circles. "Who knows?", Maka said. "You have done things which were even more stupid before!"

Soul massaged his temples. He felt the headache already coming. Plus he was already dizzy from watching how his meister rounded the coffee table for the seventh time. Or perhaps it was the eighth time. "And what, for example?", he provoked her even further.

"For example, agreeing to Black Star's idea of doing a drinking tour through Death City!", she replied. "And getting caught by the police while peeing into the fountain while being drunk!" She stomped her foot angrily on the ground but didn't stop nonetheless. "You don't know how embarrassing it was to drag you out of the police station in that state! You were trying to hug me all the time and shouting complete nonsense until I had to calm you with a Maka Chop!"

Soul blinked. He didn't remember that. He knew he'd had a pretty bad hangover the next day and not to mention a pretty big bump on his forehead. But he didn't know that he'd tried to hug Maka.

"Or that one time", Maka continued, still not finished. "When you brought that arrogant little beast in here who, as you said, only wanted to use our telephone. Man, sometimes you're just so painfully blind! You didn't even notice that all she really wanted was to get into your bed!"

She gritted her teeth, remembering this episode made her extremely angry again. Soul blinked again. Was that jealousy he was hearing in Maka's voice? "You don't know how hard it was to drive her out again while you were in the bathroom. She even dared to call me your 'jealous little fan', that beast!"

"So you _did _kick her out!", Soul exclaimed, narrowing his eyes at his meister. "Psh, even telling me she needed to go because she'd gotten a phone call from her dying grandma!"

"You should be glad that I kicked her out! She was a horrible person, and only interested in your body!", Maka said, finally stopping because she was getting dizzy herself.

"What do _you_ know?! Maybe I like girls like that!", he said to provoke her.

Maka only snorted as an answer.

"What?!" Now Soul was the one getting angry. Not that he didn't like the idea of Maka being jealous but sometimes she was just a pain in the ass. "What did you snort for?"

Maka, finally losing her temper, shouted, "Nothing! Why do I even care about you, you heartless bastard?! I hate you!" She tried to stomp past him to lock herself into her room. But Soul grabbed her by her wrist, holding her in her place.

"Soul, let me go!", she shrieked without looking at him. "Leave me alone and go clean the mess in the kitchen!"

Instead of complaining or retorting something in the same angry manner, Soul was quiet. Maka tried to pull her hand out from his grip but he only tightened it, making it impossible for her to flee from this situation.

"Say you didn't mean it", he suddenly said. His voice didn't sound angry anymore. Maka turned around to finally look at him, surprised to see how hurt he looked. The angry words died on the tip of her tongue. "Say that you didn't mean it", he repeated, looking up. Their eyes met and almost immediately Maka felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She quickly averted her eyes.

"What... Soul, I...", she stuttered, not knowing what to say. "I don't understand what you mean..."

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't hate me", he said, grabbing her chin with his free hand to force her to look at him.

"Soul, I...", she started. Of course, she didn't really hate him. They were partners and friends after all but why couldn't she look at him and say those words?

"Say it", he pressed on, letting go of her wrist but only to push her backwards until her back hit the wall behind her. His left hand still held her head in place while he placed his right hand on the wall next to her face. Leaning closer, Maka could see he was getting angry again. "God damn it, just say it, Maka!", he said through gritted teeth.

"I... Of course, I don't hate you!", she shrieked, trying to wriggle free. "Gee, Soul, what's your problem?! Let me go!"

But Soul didn't loosen his grip on her. Maka hated how helpless she felt right now.

"And now tell me", Soul said, baring his teeth. "Do you like that pathetic little weapon of Ox?"

Maka furrowed her eyebrows. "You mean Harvar-kun?"

"I saw you talking to him yesterday. He was very obviously staring at your breast, that asshole. Tell me, Maka, do you like him?"

Maka shot him an irritated look. "My God, Soul, no! Are you nuts?! He just asked me about homework, that's all! We didn't even speak for more than two minutes!"

"But for him it was enough to swoon over your body, dirty little bastard. Maybe I should break his neck to show him that no one messes with my meister!" The way he said that caused goosebumps all over Maka's skin. She didn't fail to notice how he emphasized the word "my".

Soul ranted on, making plans on how to kill Harvar without leaving any traces. Maka wanted him to stop saying such nonsense because it scared her to see how much influence his anger had on his ability to judge. She didn't want him to kill Harvar, not because she cared about Harvar but because she didn't want Soul to get into any trouble. While he ranted on, she noticed how his grip on her slowly but surely loosened up. If there was only this one way to shut him up, then she would do it.

Maka finally wriggled free and cupped Soul's face in her hands before slamming her lips onto his. Soul's eyes widened as the words were cut off by Maka's sudden kiss. It lasted only a few seconds, then both broke apart for air.

Maka was panting as she said, "There, see? I don't like any other guys because I have never ever kissed anyone else. You're the only one I will ever kiss, okay?" She averted her eyes as the red tinted her cheeks. It was not quite a love confession but it was very close to it. Maka had never realized how strong her feelings for Soul were until now.

Soul was speechless, to say the least. He just stared at his meister who was biting on her lower lip and looking anywhere but his face. Then he snapped out of it and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him and diving in for another kiss. This time it was Maka's turn to be surprised. She quickly melted into the kiss though and wrapped her arms around his neck. They were so into each other that they didn't even notice how the door to their apartment opened and how Blair walked in.

Only when Blair grinned and purred, "Nyah, you two seem to have a lot of fun when Blair isn't around", Soul and Maka jumped apart in shock. Maka's face was just as red as a tomato while Soul refused to look anywhere but the floor. Blair only snickered before she turned to walk into the kitchen to get some food.

Upon seeing the mess the kitchen was in, she stopped and made a strange sound. Maka looked up when Blair turned around with an apologetic look on her face.

"Nyah, Blair is sooooo sorry!", she purred. "Please, don't be angry with me, Maka-chan!"

"Huh?" Maka didn't understand what Blair was talking about.

"Blair was soooo hungry earlier, so she put the soup in the microwave. But when it suddenly exploded, Blair got scared and quickly ran away! I'm soooo sorry!", Blair whined, changing into her cat form and looking small and pitiful.

"Huh?", Soul echoed.

"So... so it was you...", Maka stuttered, finally realizing she had been angry with the wrong person from the very beginning. Scratching the back of her head, she laughed nervously. "Guess it wasn't your fault this time, Soul... Sorry!"

The look he gave her made her stiffen in fear. It was something between angry and... She gulped. Lustful. He narrowed his eyes at her, slowly creeping closer to her while growling, "Don't tell me I had to put up with your awful attitude for nothing!" He made a move to grab her but Maka was quick enough to jump to the side.

"I already said I'm sorry!", she squealed, dodging another of his attempts to catch her. Finally she resorted to running away.

Soul bared his teeth before chasing after her. "Just you wait until I get you", he growled. A sinister and very dirty grin appeared on his face. "Oh, what I won't do to you as soon as I catch you."

Maka gulped in fear and ran across the room, so that the coffee table was between her and Soul whose eyes were gleaming in quite a way she didn't really like. Soul made a jump to the right, so Maka's only chance to escape was to run around the coffee table on the left side.

Unfortunately, Blair was still curled into a little, pitiful ball. Maka almost stepped on her but could somehow make a lunge to avoid doing so. This movement however left her stumbling for a second, desperate to regain her balance. This second was enough for Soul to catch up with her, grabbing her around her waist and throwing her over his shoulder. Maka let out a surprised squeak. While she screamed and kicked and tried to free herself, Soul's lips stretched out into a smug grin.

"Gotcha", he breathed in a very seductive tone which sent shivers down Maka's spine.

"Gah, Soul, no!", she protested as she saw he started going into the direction of his bedroom. "Wait! I already said I'm sorry!"

"Don't think that's enough", he said, the smutty grin still on his face. "I'll show you how to apologize properly."

Maka blanched, and she even stopped kicking and hitting his back with her fists. "Blair, help me!", she mouthed but the cat only blinked before she concluded that it was better for her if she ran away again. At least for a few hours it was safer for her to not be in the apartment. With a last glance at Maka's helpless eyes, Blair purred, "Sorry, Maka-chan, it's better not to mess with the devil", before she jumped out of the open window in the living room.

"Ah, Blair, no! Don't leave me alone with this maniac!", Maka pleaded, stretching her hand out as if that would stop the cat from running away. She wondered why she hadn't come up with the idea of jumping out of the window before.

Said maniac grinned only wider before kicking open his bedroom door. "Here we are, my _dear._"

Another squeal of horror escaped Maka's lips as she was thrown onto Soul's bed. "L-Listen, Soul, I'm sure there's a different way to repay you for my behaviour!", she pleaded, full of hope that perhaps he would accept her idea. Maka's hopes were crushed as soon as she felt his hands rub her thighs. Leaning over her, he placed a kiss on her throat. "No, I don't think so", he whispered smugly. Then he lifted his head to look into Maka's eyes. "You know", he breathed and the deep rumble of his voice sent another avalanche of shivers down her spine. "No matter how much I love that dress on you, I'm pretty sure it will look even better on my floor."

Maka gulped. And all that was heard after that was a muffled scream behind closed doors.

This night, Maka learned to never mess with the devil known as Soul Eater Evans ever again. Not to mention that Soul was also taught his very special lesson for ruining Maka's new dress - which, of course, involved a book, his skull and a very distinctive dent in it.

* * *

_End of Installment No. 9. Installment No. 10, titled "Heartless", is coming soon. Please stay tuned :)_


	10. Final Author's Note

_**UPDATE APRIL 5, 2013: PLEASE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT I AM LEAVING THIS SITE!**_

_Dear Readers,_

_my life has been rather complicated lately, as I have started a job to save some money before I (hopefully) start studying this fall. The job is taking up most of the day, so that I hardly have time to write anything at all. Also because of this, my own stories are coming along very slowly and poorly, even though I've got tons to do. I still haven't finished the story that started as a birthday present for a dear friend of mine. Other than that I have like a million different ideas for stories (or possibly even books) that still need a concept and/ or layout. There is this story that I have been wanting to start writing 4 or 5 years ago, and guess what? I still haven't started it. I have been changing the concept and character designs over the past few years. And now I think it is finally time for this baby of mine to be born, don't you think?_

_Therefore I have decided that I will quit writing fanfiction for good. I just don't have the inspiration and time for it anymore. This is why I will empty this account and leave it be. I'm really sorry because I know there are a few people who are sincerely interested in my stories. I don't think I will ever return but, hey, everything's possible, right? :D_

_Still, it's been a great time! Thank you my dear Readers for all your support, reviews and follows! I thank you so much!_

_Take care, guys :)_

_Sincerely yours, Tina_

_PS: If enough of you want my stories to stay, I will leave them on here but simply put a note in the description that they will never, ever be continued and are finished in the way they are right now. Just leave a review on this "chapter" and tell me if you would like them to stay. Thank you :)_


	11. Final Author's Note Take Two

**Update April 22, 2013: Not leaving but going on hiatus!**

_Dear Readers,_

_first of all I have to thank you for all your sweet and heartwarming comments. Some of them must have been some of the sweetest words I have heard or read in quite a long while. Thank you so much for your understanding and your kindness! It really means the world to me :)_

_After this, I've done a lot of thinking and I've come to the conclusion that you guys are right. I can't just abandon you and take all my stories with me, knowing how they mean so much to you. What kind of a bad person would I be doing that? So I've decided against it. I'll leave the stories right where they are and I won't mark them as unfinished. Because I figured that I can't tell what might happen in the future. Maybe I will regain interest in writing fanfiction, maybe I'll go back to the same fandom or maybe I will find another one. In either case, any of this could happen and I found that I indeed wanted to at least have the possibility to come back here and start writing for you again. This is why I also decided to leave this account be. I'll simply put a note on my front page to let everyone know that I'm on a break for an unknown amount of time._

_All in all, I really appreciate your thoughts and the fact that you care about me. It makes me happy to know that there are people out there who like my stories. Thank you, once again :) Having said this, I can only hope that you guys will still be there when I return one day. Because I'd be more than just happy to be able to write for you :)_

_Take care, you guys. Live your lives and be happy. I wish you the best of luck! :)_

_Until we meet again,_

_Tina_


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